Well, it's certainly high time Monica was inducted into the Hall of
Fame, but her induction is subject to a vote:

Nishikori makes name for himself at US Open (Associated Press,
28th August)
By Ben Walker: AP National Writer
>>>
MONICA MANIA

Nine-time Grand Slam champion Monica Seles heads the list of five
candidates for the next class in the International Tennis Hall of
Fame.

Former French Open winner Andres Gimeno and tennis-leaders Donald
Dell, Dr. Robert Johnson and Eiichi Kawatei also were put on the
ballot on Thursday.

Voting will be held for the next few months, and results will be
announced in January. The induction is set for 11th July in Newport,
R.I.

The 34-year-old Seles won four Australian Opens, three French Opens
and twice at the US Open. Known for shrieking when she made shots,
Seles finished as the world's No.1 player in 1991 and 1992.

She was 19 when a man came from the stands during a 1993 match in
Germany and stabbed her in the back. Seles was out of action for more
than two years, and later won the Australian Open.
<<<

There's also a stunning photo of Monica from the US Open 2008 Opening
Ceremony:
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/?Event=usopen_oc
- of which a larger, less cropped, but watermarked variant can be
found on Getty Images.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

===========
DFS CLASSIC (Edgbaston, Birmingham, England; grass; WTA Tier III)
=========== http://birmingham.lta.org.uk/
Contents
--------

1. My photos
2. First-round results
3. First round: Niculescu v Tanasugarn
4. Article

------------
1. My photos
------------

Permission to copy my Birmingham photos is granted provided that:
(a) no money is exchanged;
(b) they are labelled as "Copyright 2008 Andrew Broad".
Please let me know if you do use them on another website.

I have uploaded all my photos for Monday 9th June 2008, in one big
zip-file, to:
http://www.divshare.com/download/5131504-de1

Monday's players:

Ioana Raluca Olaru (28)
Alyona Bondarenko (18)
Kateryna Bondarenko (18)
Yaroslava Shvedova (14)
Nicole Vaidišová (13)
Séverine Brémond (13)
Virginia Ruano Pascual (13)
Aravane Rezaď (12)
Katie O'Brien (10)
Monica Niculescu (7)
Yanina Wickmayer (6)
Sunitha Rao (6)
Michaëlla Krajícek (4)
Tatiana Poutchek (3)
Amanda Elliott (3)
MC Vicki Stone (3)
Sabine Lisicki (2)
Alla Kudryavtseva (2)
Akgul Amanmuradova (2)
umpire Eva Asderaki (2)
Petra Kvitová (1)
Tamarine Tanasugarn (1)
Angelique Kerber? (1)

----------------------
2. First-round results (Monday 9th June)
----------------------

+ AIKO NAKAMURA [17,S] d. Tzipora Obziler, 7-5 6-3
- Ayumi Morita [S] lt. Sorana Cîrstea, 2-6 0-6
- Monica Niculescu [S] lt. Tamarine Tanasugarn, 3-6 4-6

Unfortunately I missed Aiko and Ayumi, as they were first up and I
arrived an hour and a half after the start of play.

--------------------------------------
3. First round: Niculescu v Tanasugarn
--------------------------------------

- Monica Niculescu [S] lt. Tamarine Tanasugarn, 3-6 4-6

It's always interesting to see what Niculescu will do on a tennis-
court, as she is the female Fabrice Santoro: two-handed both sides,
and plays a lot of sliced forehands. When she played Jelena Jankovic
at the French Open, she made a big impression with her dropshots.

This time, volleying was a big part of Niculescu's game-plan -
especially behind her first serve.

Niculescu didn't appear to enjoy this match at all: she looked like
she was chewing on wasps, and on one occasion she held her racket
above her head, seemed to think better of throwing it to the ground,
but then threw it anyway. On another occasion, she received a code-
violation for something I didn't see. At the end, her face was
screwed up as though she were eating a lemon, and when she sat down
after shaking hands, her face was red with apparent tears.

----------
4. Article
----------

Craybas, Amanmuradova lose at DFS Classic (AP)
>>>
This time, the 10th-ranked Marion Bartoli — last year's Wimbledon-
finalist — is the top seed ahead of Nicole Vaidišová of the Czech
Republic.

"It was hard for them [Jankovic and Safina] to come here after going
so far in the French Open. But I am top seed and I expect myself to
win the tournament," Bartoli said. "And to get my rhythm before
Wimbledon."

Bartoli opens on Wednesday against either Yuan,Meng - who is pushing
to become the fourth Chinese player in the top 100 - or Petra
Cetkovská of the Czech Republic.
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=============
ROLAND GARROS (Paris, France; red clay; Grand Slam)
============= http://www.rolandgarros.com/
Contents
--------

1. Women's Singles: Second-round result
2. Men's Singles: Second-round TV-report: Santoro v Ferrer

---------------------------------------
1. Women's Singles: Second-round result (Thursday 29th May 2008)
---------------------------------------

- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. Iveta Benešová [Q], 4-6 3-6

----------------------------------------------------------
2. Men's Singles: Second-round TV-report: Santoro v Ferrer
(Thursday 29th May 2008)
----------------------------------------------------------

- Fabrice Santoro [S] lt. DAVID FERRER [5], 0-6 1-6 0-6

I watched this match on BBCi, but only casually as I was following
live scores of Anna Chakvetadze v Kaia Kanepi, which started at about
the same time.

Sam Smith said during the warm-up that clay was not Fabrice's best
surface, but these cold, heavy conditions should help him with his
dropshots and junk.


First set
---------
SANTOR ______ 0
FERRER *@*@*@ 6

The match started at 18:47 CEST on Court Chatrier.

Ferrer serving 0-0: Held to 15. Fabrice tried one dropshot, but it
wasn't effective.

Fabrice serving 0-1: Ferrer overpowered Fabrice and broke to 30.

Ferrer serving 2-0: 30/30. Ferrer came to the net, but Fabrice hit a
beautiful lob-winner. 30/40. But he wasted the break-point by netting
a backhand, and Ferrer held after several deuces.

Most of the points are being dominated by Ferrer, who is often
looking to come to the net and hit a smash. Fabrice is only defending
so far.

Sam Smith: "Ferrer has transformed himself from a Spanish grinder to
an offensive player."

Fabrice serving 0-3: 30/0 to 30/30. Fabrice had a couple of game-
points, but couldn't cope with Ferrer's aggressive play and dancing
feet, and got broken again.

Sam Smith said Fabrice's back is hurting, and he's not moving as well
as usual. He's often having to take one hand off the racket.

Ferrer serving 4-0: Held to love.

Fabrice serving 0-5: Fabrice hit a nice lob, but Ferrer just ran back
and rifled an off-forehand pass-winner - he has an answer to
everything so far. Ferrer broke yet again to win the first set 6-0 at
19:13 (26m).


Second set
----------
SANTOR ___*___ 1
FERRER *@* *@* 6

Ferrer serving 0-0: Fabrice adopted a more aggressive approach, and
is beginning to weave his magic, with a lob-winner to get to 0/30.
But Ferrer reeled off four points in a row to hold, finishing with a
low backhand winner crosscourt onto the sideline.

Fabrice serving 0-1: 40/15. Fabrice wasted one game-point with a
double fault, and Ferrer saved the next with a dropshot-winner.
Ferrer ruthlessly went on to break.

David Mercer: "Ferrer's in no mood to give anything away. He wants to
grind his opponent down."

Ferrer serving 2-0: Remorselessly held to love. Fabrice can't keep
the ball away from Ferrer's forehand.

Fabrice serving 0-3: Fabrice took the initiative, came to the net,
and netted a forehand volley. 15/0. Fabrice came in again, and this
time hit a nice backhand drop-volley winner. 30/0 to 30/30. Fabrice
came to the net, forcing Ferrer to net a backhand pass. Ad Fabrice.
Came to the net, hit an error-forcing volley onto the baseline, but
it was called long and overruled, so they had to replay the point.
Fabrice came to the net again: Ferrer's crosscourt backhand pass
clipped the netcord and fell wide.

Sam Smith: "Santoro is not what he was five years ago, but he's still
putting a lot of balls in the court. Ferrer's winning this rather
than Santoro losing it. His finishing has been perfect."

Ferrer serving 3-1: Another easy hold.

Fabrice serving 1-4: Fabrice's tactics are now to approach the net to
Ferrer's backhand, but Ferrer ripped a backhand pass-winner down the
line. 0/15. Ferrer continued to have the answer for everything, and
scored the double break.

Sam Smith: "Although Santoro beat Ferrer a couple of years ago, this
is a terrible match-up for him in terms of his strengths and
weaknesses against Ferrer's strengths and weaknesses. If your
opponent likes to run a lot, you should play him down the middle."

Ferrer serving 5-1: I was interrupted, so I lost my concentration,
and Fabrice lost the second set 6-1 at around 19:42.


Third set
---------
SANTOR ______ 0
FERRER @*@*@* 6

Fabrice serving 0-0: Another early break to Ferrer.

Ferrer serving 1-0: Ferrer continued to smash Fabrice off the court,
and held with a searing crosscourt forehand winner back behind
Fabrice.

Fabrice serving 0-2: Fabrice got to 40/30 with three good serves -
about the first returns Ferrer hasn't made today - but Ferrer saved
the game-point ruthlessly with a lob-winner over Fabrice at the net.
40/40. Ferrer constructed the rally perfectly and hit a forehand
smash-winner. Ad Ferrer (BP). Fabrice came to the net, inducing
Ferrer to net a backhand pass. Deuce #2. Fabrice came to the net, but
Ferrer's pass was too hard, forcing him to earth a forehand volley.
Ad Ferrer. Fabrice retrieved one smash, but Ferrer hit another onto
Fabrice's forehand-sideline for a spectacular winner.

Everyone's talking about Federer, Nadal and Đokovic as the only
potential French Open 2008 champions, but this is a brilliant
performance from Ferrer, so perhaps it's time for everyone to widen
their views.

Ferrer serving 3-0: Fabrice took him to 40/40 as I concentrated on
Anna Chakvetadze's scoreboard, but one dipping pass at his feet and
another for a winner snuffed out the hope of a break.

Fabrice serving 0-4: 30/30. Ferrer shanked a wild forehand out of
sight. 40/30. Ferrer denied Fabrice the game-point with a wonderful
spreading rally, finishing with an off-forehand volley-winner.
Fabrice saved one break-point at the net, but couldn't deny Ferrer a
second.

Ferrer serving 5-0: Ferrer dominated Fabrice to get to 40/0, to loud
boos from the crowd, who held up Ferrer before he served. Ferrer came
to the net and hit the main shot with which he'd been dominating the
match: a forehand smash-winner.


Article
-------

France's Santoro wins all of 1 game against Ferrer
By Chris Lehourites: AP Sports Writer
>>>
Fabrice Santoro tried just about everything at the French Open, even
seeking a bit of divine intervention. The poor guy wanted to win more
than one game.

Alas, the 35-year-old Frenchman lost 6-0 6-1 6-0 to No.5-seeded David
Ferrer of Spain in the second round.

"Against these type of opponents, a match can be a nightmare,"
Santoro said. "I prayed."

He also stayed back at the baseline, hitting the ball a little higher
than usual to get a better trajectory. He also came to the net,
hoping to volley his way to extra points.

But nothing really worked.

"I could perhaps have won six or seven games, because I several times
had game-points, but this is a very clear-cut type of score," said
Santoro, who has played in the French Open 19 times - more than any
player in the 40-year Open Era.

His record, though, is 17:19. He's never been past the fourth round
at Roland Garros, and has one Grand Slam quarter-final appearance, at
the 2006 Australian Open,

The crowd at centre court certainly was on the Frenchman's side,
cheering wildly when he held serve in the second set to win his only
game.

"That was extraordinary," Santoro said. "I tried everything until the
very last point. I wanted to win a number of games. I wanted to spend
more time, a few more minutes on the court."

When he was trailing 0-5 in the last set, a group of fans started to
sing the French national anthem.

"When you hear 'La Marseillaise', it's the atmosphere that counts.
The audience is here, the public is with you, and you have to give
all that you have," he said.

During Ferrer's final serves, the crowd was making noise, only
quieting down when Santoro was getting ready for the return. And
after match-point, Santoro smiled and shook hands with Ferrer at the
net, even giving him a half-hug.

What was he feeling during all that time on centre court, with the
fans hoping for some more fight, some more pluck from their local
hero?

"In a word: powerlessness," Santoro said.
<<<

Magician's Final Bow?: Santoro exits Paris
By Jon Levey (Tennis.com, Saturday 31st May)
>>>
When he hangs his racquet up, which is likely to be at the end of
this season, Fabrice Santoro may not find himself on the fast track
to the Hall of Fame. But if the criteria were based on players who
make the game a joy to watch, he'd be a first ballot lock for sure.
A master manipulator of depth, angles, and spins, Santoro has made a
career out of befuddling opponents with guile, tenacity and sleight
of hand. Listed at a generous 5-foot-10 and possessing limited power
in his awkward two-handed strokes, he didn't have much of a choice.
He has such a knack for hitting creative and difficult to return
shots, that no less than Grand Slam king, Pete Sampras, labelled
Santoro: "The Magician."

Since his first full season in 1990, Santoro has been a model of
consistency. Only two times – 1995 and 1996 – did he not finish the
year inside the top 100 in singles. He has finished in the top 65 for
11 consecutive years, 16 overall, and reached a career-high ranking
of No.17 in 2001 at the age of 28. He's won five singles- and 24
doubles-titles, including the 2003 and 2004 Australian Open
championships with countryman Michael Llodra, and has participated in
17 Davis Cup ties for France. His more than 440 wins include such
noted victims as Sampras (3 times), Marat Safin (7 times), Andre
Agassi (3 times), and Andy Roddick (once). When a draw comes out,
there are few players who relish seeing their names in the same
bracket with Santoro.

Perhaps the ultimate testament to his longevity is, for all the
greats who have played the game, Santoro's 63 Grand Slams singles-
appearances is the most all-time. It's unlikely, however, that he'll
be adding to the total much longer. A Roland Garros junior champion
(1989), his most enduring moment as a pro occurred in 2004 when he
battled countryman Arnaud Clement to a 16-14 victory in the fifth set
of the longest match (6h33m) in history.  "Am I able to play Roland
Garros at 36 against guys who are 15, 16 years younger than I am?" he
responds when asked about the possibility of playing here in
2009. "In the next 12 months, I don't think much will change - not in
my favour in any case."

If this French Open, Santoro's 19th, is to be his last, it will be
bittersweet. It started in the first round on a packed Court 3
against Russian, Evgeny Korolev. It's an intimate setting and
spectators were hanging over the walls like ivy, trying to get a
glimpse of what could be Santoro's last Roland Garros match. The two
met earlier this year in January in the quarter-finals of Sydney with
Santoro winning in straights 6-3 6-3. At 6-foot-1, 180 lbs, and
blessed with powerful, penetrating groundstrokes, Korolev is the anti-
Santoro. He's ultra-aggressive, prone to mistakes, and, at just 20
years old, easily frustrated. For Santoro, that's easy prey.

Being Wednesday, Kid's Day at Roland Garros, the stands are jammed
with young children. They were vocal, animated, and hugely supportive
of the hometown Santoro. During changeovers, chants of "Fa-Brice!"
filled the air, which was swirling around the court all afternoon.
Several times, the players stopped due to clay being spiralled off
the court and blown in their faces. That didn't stop Santoro from
displaying all the touch, improvisation and lightning reflexes that
has come to define his style of play.

The players' approaches to the match were simple: Korolev tried to
hit Santoro off the court, while Santoro threw junk at Korolev to
draw errors. The first set ended up going into a tiebreak, and with
score tied at 3 points apiece, Korolev delivered a second serve.
Santoro moved in close to return the kick serve on the rise, and hit
a two-handed forehand dropshot that completely caught Korolev flat-
footed. By the time he raced up to the ball, all he could do was
shovel it in the net. Only Santoro would attempt such a shot at such
a critical time. The sequence unnerved Korolev, who dumped the next
two points, and with it the set. Walking back to his chair after the
set, Korolov bounced his racquet in disgust. It was all downhill from
there. Korolev lost the next two sets and piled up a total of 63
unforced errors in the process. Santoro finished with just 14.

It was vintage Santoro, right down to the impish grins of disbelief
on his face (like pulling a rabbit out of a hat) after sliding into
an improbable two-handed forehand slice passing-shot winner. Hitting
with two hands on both sides is unusual enough, but to make the slice
your preferred shot on your forehand is simply not done. Santoro
really chops down on it, giving it a tight spin that skids and dies
when it lands. When he tries to come over the ball on that wing his
elbows flare out, and he doesn't drive the shot as much as roll the
ball deep. His backhand is more traditional, and he has a sneaky fast
serve that he can place rather accurately (he aced Korolev 10 times).

Perhaps Santoro's asset, though, is his return of serve. He has
remarkably quick hands, feet and reflexes, and an uncanny ability to
get the ball back in play. At the Australian Open this year, he
easily handled huge-serving John Isner in straight sets, and took out
tour ace-leader Ivo Karlovic in five at Wimbledon last year. Throw in
his deft touch and use of angles, and it's obvious why he's won so
many doubles-titles.

But for Santoro to have success in singles, particularly on a clay
surface, he needs a willing foil. His second round opponent, David
Ferrer was not. With the sun creeping out in the early Thursday
evening after an afternoon downpour, the two took to a less than full
Phillipe Chatrier court. Right from the start, it was apparent that
Ferrer would have no trouble handling Santoro's tactics. He was too
quick, consistent, and patient to fall victim to Santoro's
wiles. "He's kind of a bulldozer," is how Santoro describes his
opponent. Simply put, it was a slaughter. It took Santoro to the 10th
game to win his first, and that would be all. "I really wanted to win
a few more games. He didn't want to lose any, that's for sure." The
word Santoro would use to sum up the experience was: "powerlessness."

When Santoro was one game away from losing, the crowd knew the match
was over, but still tried to rally their man with a rendition of La
Marseillaise - the French national anthem. "It's the atmosphere that
counts," Santoro says after the match. "The audience is here, the
public is with you, and you have to give all that you have." Santoro
went on to say that he wished he was given an opportunity to address
the crowd and thank them for all their support.

"I can remember all of these magic times in front of the French
public, and here in Roland Garros. Should this match be the very last
one in my career? You know I'm not making any decisions, but I would
have liked to say goodbye to the French."

Perhaps it didn't end exactly as he envisioned. There was no shocking
upset or even the threat of one put into a superior opponent. Almost
all of Santoro's chicanery was ineffective. But there was one point
in the first game of the second set against Ferrer when Santoro
bombarded his opponent with a series of slices, high rollers, a fake
rush to the net, and finished it off with a dropshot + lob
combination for the winner. The crowd erupted in applause, and
Santoro responded by looking to his player's box and giving that
trademark puckish grin.

The Magician had pulled off one last trick.
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=============
ROLAND GARROS (Paris, France; red clay; Grand Slam)
============= http://www.rolandgarros.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Men's Singles: First-round result
3. Women's Singles: First-round results
4. First-round TV-report: Niculescu v Jankovic
5. Men's Singles: Second-round draw
6. Women's Singles: Second-round draw

---------
1. Photos
---------

Monica Niculescu:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=jankovic
Search Getty Images for "niculescu"

Aiko Nakamura:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=nakamura
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/players/wta140219.html

Marion Bartoli:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/players/wta020631.html
Search Getty Images for "bartoli"

Looks like Marion had a problem with hair in her face!

------------------------------------
2. Men's Singles: First-round result
------------------------------------

+ Fabrice Santoro [S] d. Evgeny Korolev [LL], 7-6 (7/3) 6-1 6-4

---------------------------------------
3. Women's Singles: First-round results
---------------------------------------

+ Peng,Shuai [S] d. Anastasia Rodionova, 6-0 2-6 6-3
- MARION BARTOLI [9,DF,S] lt. Casey Dell'Acqua, 7-6 (7/4) 3-6 2-6
- Monica Niculescu [LL,S] lt. JELENA JANKOVIC [3], 6-7 (3/7) 2-6
- Aiko Nakamura [S] lt. SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [4], 2-6 3-6
- Ayumi Morita [S] lt. ÁGNES SZÁVAY [12], 1-6 6-4 4-6
- Akiko Morigami [S] lt. Petra Kvitová, 4-6 3-6
- Yan,Zi [S] lt. Emilie Loit, 6-1 4-6 6-8
- Hsieh,Su-Wei [S] lt. Anastasiya Yakimova [Q], 7-6 (7/4) 5-7 4-6

"World No.71 Nakamura was no match for Kuznetsova's pace, and was
completely outplayed from the start. The Japanese player has never
been beyond the first round at Roland Garros, and that statistic was
never likely to change today. Nakamura hits double-handed off both
wings like her idol Monica Seles, but without the former champion's
speed or accuracy."
[Orla Coady, www.rolandgarros.com]

Marion: "I'm just fed up. Since the beginning of this year, I've been
playing and I felt tired, and I thought, 'well, this is probably
psychological,' but it's five months I've been feeling this, in this
state, being very tired. Why not take a short break, some holidays?
So I'll probably start practising for the season on grass, but I
first want to think about myself."

----------------------------------------------
3. First-round TV-report: Niculescu v Jankovic (Monday 26th May 2008)
----------------------------------------------

- Monica Niculescu [LL,S] lt. JELENA JANKOVIC [3], 6-7 (3/7) 2-6

I watched this match casually on BBCi. I had just 15 minutes left on
my "Tennis 221" video-tape - 15 minutes for Niculescu to make a
believer of me before I decided to start "Tennis 222" with her.


First set
---------
NICULESC ___*@ @ @* *_ 6(3)
JANKOVIC *@*__@ @__* T 7(7)

At first, I was completely /unimpressed/ with Niculescu. Her
groundstrokes were barely over the service-line, half of them were
moonballs, and she was hitting one-handed sliced forehands. Sam Smith
was surprised that she even made the transition from junior-tennis to
the WTA Tour.

But then, I realised that Niculescu is, in fact, a previously
unlisted Selesian! She started hitting her forehand properly, with
two hands - the same as her backhand. She also takes the ball very
early on that two-handed forehand, like another Monica from of old.

Niculescu also hit a nice backhand dropshot-winner at *0-3 (0/15),
followed immediately by a point at the net where she showed good
volleying-skills to block back a testing pass from Jankovic, and hit
a forehand volley-winner. She held to 15 to avoid the double bagel.

Jankovic serving 3-1: 15/0. Niculescu dominated the point and hit
a "slashing" forehand smash-winner - "ended up killing about 16
wasps" [Barry Davies]. 15/15. Niculescu forehand drop-volley winner.
15/30. Jankovic came to the net; Niculescu backhand lob-winner.
15/40 (2 BPs). Niculescu broke back.

Niculescu serving 2-3: Jankovic broke again quickly.

Jankovic serving 4-2: 0/15. Niculescu came in behind a dropshot, and
showed more good volleying-skills, culminating with a two-handed
backhand volley-winner crosscourt. 0/40. Niculescu played a nice
spreading rally, and broke back again with a forehand dropshot-winner
down the line.

Barry Davies: "We're seeing a very different Romanian in terms of her
confidence and what she wants to do."
Sam Smith: "She's terrific in putting the ball in all the right
places. Jelena's pretty surprised and unprepared."

Niculescu serving 3-4: Niculescu started grunting, and saved four
break-points from 0/40 onwards. But she couldn't resist a fifth, and
seems to be regressing to her sliced forehand.

Jankovic serving 5-3: Niculescu won the point with another dropshot.
30/30. Niculescu dropshot-winner. 30/40 (BP). Niculescu made it five
breaks in a row with a backhand lob-winner down the line.

Sam Smith: "Hard work for Jankovic. She'd prefer a hard ball coming
at her, but in these cold, damp conditions, she's having to generate
all the pace herself."

Niculescu serving 4-5: Niculescu's dropshot, low over the net, forced
Jankovic into error. 15/0. Niculescu defensive lob just long. 15/15.
Niculescu came to the net; Jankovic lob long. 30/15. Jankovic netted
a cheap backhand return. 40/15. Jankovic thumped a crosscourt
backhand winner with a hint of frustration about it. 40/30. Jankovic
netted a forehand.

Barry Davies: "Forty minutes of fascination and fallibility."

Jankovic serving 5-5: Niculescu ran down a dropshot and hit an off-
backhand winner. 0/15. Forehand return long. 15/15. Jankovic chopped
a forehand long. 15/30. Jankovic punished a short, weak lob with a
crosscourt forehand winner. 30/30. Jankovic opened up the court for
an off-forehand winner onto the sideline. 40/30. Niculescu backhand
lob just long. She shook her head at the changeover.

Niculescu serving 5-6: Niculescu netted a forehand on the third
stroke. 0/15. Niculescu forehand lob long. 0/30. Jankovic came in on
a floater from Niculescu, but hit a forehand smash wide. 15/30.
Jankovic hit a half-court ball very long. Sam Smith: "She just
doesn't miss those shots on a weekly basis." 30/30. Jankovic hit a
wild backhand long. 40/30. Niculescu's depth induced Jankovic to hit
a backhand long.

6-6 tiebreak (all scores Niculescu/Jankovic):
{0/0*} Jankovic got a time-violation, and hit a hard, angry forehand
to force Niculescu into error.
{*0/1} Niculescu forehand lob long by a whisker.
{*0/2} Niculescu regressed to the short moonballs with which she
started the match, and Jankovic forced her into error.
{0/3*} Niculescu sliced a forehand long.
{0/4*} Jankovic wide.
{*1/4} Niculescu forehand dropshot-winner.
{*2/4} Jankovic came to the net, Niculescu hit a testing pass, but
Jankovic's backhand volley clipped the netcord and crawled over for a
winner. She kissed the net.
{2/5*} Niculescu return long.
{2/6*: SP #1} Niculescu forehand dropshot return-winner.
{*3/6: SP #2} An interesting rally ended with Jankovic hitting a
crosscourt forehand volley-winner onto the sideline. Jankovic won the
first set 7-6 (7/3) at 12:09.

Sam Smith: "Niculescu is the female Fabrice Santoro."

Fabrice Santoro is the only listed Selesian in the Men's Singles this
French Open. He plays with two hands both sides, frequently slices
his forehand, and takes his opponents out of their rhythm. Sadly, he
won't be around for much longer, and men's tennis will be much poorer
without him.

Sam Smith: "Jankovic is struggling with the basics much more than
usual. She has Dominika Cibulková in her third-round draw. Cibulková
has been playing very well; that is a really tough potential
encounter."


Second set
----------
NICULESC _@*_____ 2
JANKOVIC @__*@*@* 6

Niculescu serving 0-0: 15/30. Jankovic ran down a dropshot and hit a
backhand winner onto the baseline. 15/40 (BP). Jankovic forced
Niculescu to earth a backhand.

Jankovic serving 1-0: Niculescu broke back with yet another forehand
dropshot-winner down the line.

Sam Smith: "Tennis is about problem-solving in each round."

Niculescu serving 1-1: Jankovic got another time-violation: this time
a penalty-point. 15/0. Niculescu worked her way to the net, forcing a
floater and hitting a forehand smash-winner. Sam Smith: "She
definitely uses the whole court." 30/0. Niculescu forehand just wide.
30/15. Jankovic took a backhand very early, and hit it long. 40/15.
Niculescu dominated the rally with Selesian groundstrokes, forcing
forced Jankovic into error.

Jankovic serving 1-2: Jankovic forehand smash-winner. 15/0.
An interesting close-range rally ended with Niculescu chopping a
forehand into the net. 30/0. Jankovic crosscourt backhand winner.
40/0. Jankovic hit a short-angled crosscourt backhand onto the
sideline, forcing Niculescu into error.

Niculescu serving 2-2: 0/30. Niculescu crosscourt backhand winner.
15/30. Jankovic ran down a dropshot and hit a crosscourt sliced
backhand winner. 15/40 (2 BPs). Jankovic squeezed a down-the-line
backhand winner onto the junction of sideline and baseline.

Jankovic serving 3-2: Jankovic dominated the rally and hit a
crosscourt forehand drive-volley winner. 15/0. 30/0. Jankovic came to
the net and hit a hard forehand drive-volley winner. Sam Smith: "What
a difference when she flattens out that forehand. It's not like an
Ivanovic forehand - there's still a covering of topspin." Jankovic
held to love.

Niculescu serving 2-4: An error-strewn game resulted in a break to
30. Sam Smith: "What a difference when she plays Jankovic's game -
it's no contest at all."

Sam Smith: "I think coaches will be preparing their players very
carefully for Niculescu - she should come with a health-warning!"

Jankovic serving 5-2: Ace. 15/0. Serve + backhand winner down the
line. 30/0. Niculescu mishit a backhand lob very long. 40/0 (MP #1).
Niculescu's backhand dropshot forced Jankovic to hit a backhand wide.
40/15 (MP #2). Niculescu saved it with - guess what? a crosscourt
forehand dropshot-winner! 40/30 (MP #3). Niculescu on the fourth
stroke dumped a backhand into the net. Jankovic won 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 at
12:40 (second set 32m, match 1h32m).

As Jankovic signed autographs, the microphones actually picked up
what the fans were saying to her, e.g. "I saw you in Miami. You were
great!"

Barry Davies: "Congratulations to Monica Niculescu for providing a
great deal of entertainment... in a very different style. Those
dropshots were something else."


Article
-------

Jelena, Venus Move On as First Round Continues
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=2288
>>>
On Sunday it was Ana Ivanovic and Serena Williams who took the first
step toward a projected quarter-final meeting, and on Monday it was
Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams who did the same, grinding past
their first-round opponents at Roland Garros. Patty Schnyder was also
among Day 2's winners.

Third seed Jankovic was the first of the two WTA Tour superstars to
advance, beating lucky loser Monica Niculescu 7-6(3) 6-2. Jankovic
looked as though she was headed for an easy victory as she built
leads of 3-0 and 5-3 in the first set; Niculescu hung tough and took
the set to a tiebreak - but after the feisty Serb pulled it out, she
cruised to a straight-sets win in her opener.

"I had a good start, but then she played some great shots," Jankovic
said. "She hit some good dropshots. I got a bit confused because I
didn't know how she'd play or what to expect. Then I started making
some errors and lost my rhythm a little bit. Then after I won the
first set, I figured out what to do, and it all got better.

"It's not that she plays two hands on both sides, it's that she hits
slice and high balls, dropshots, different kinds of shots. She's sort
of like the Santoro in the women's game. It took time for me to get
used to that."
<<<

-----------------------------------
5. Men's Singles: Second-round draw
-----------------------------------

* Fabrice Santoro [S] v DAVID FERRER [5]

-------------------------------------
6. Women's Singles: Second-round draw
-------------------------------------

* Peng,Shuai [S] v Iveta Benešová [Q]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Final TV-report: Bartoli v V.Williams (Saturday 7th July 2007)
-------------------------------------

- MARION BARTOLI [18,DF,S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [23], 4-6 1-6


The build-up
------------

Sue Barker: "The build-up is just as important as the match itself!"

Marion: "To be in the Wimbledon-final, it's just amazing. I can't
believe it right now. You have to enjoy this moment, 'cause it
happens maybe just once in my life. On grass, anything can happen,
and if I play like I did against Justine, I definitely believe I have
my chances."

Virginia Wade: "The ball skims over the net so low from Marion."

Martina Navrátilová: "They both like to stand inside the baseline, so
it'll be who can push each other back first. Venus does not like to
be handcuffed, so Bartoli needs to serve into her body, and hit
behind her. She needs to impose herself extremely early in the rally."

The commentators think Williams is the overwhelming favourite, and
that it could be over very quickly if Marion doesn't start well. But
no one reaches a Grand Slam final unless they're playing very well,
and Marion /is/ ranked 12 places above Williams!

John McEnroe: "The movement, the speed, the intimidation-factor -
those are what have been so impressive from Williams."


Interviews coming onto court
----------------------------

The famous walk onto Centre Court for a Wimbledon singles-final:
Williams has experienced it six times now, Marion just this once.

Williams: "Always feels more difficult to be in the finals here, and
I'm just gonna enjoy myself. I played some great tennis to get to the
final, and I'm just gonna continue this trend."

Marion: "I will try to play my best today, and see how it goes.
Yesterday gives me a lot of confidence, but every match is different,
and I'm just so exciting to be playing the final of Wimbledon for the
first time."


First set
---------
BARTOLI ___*@* *__ 4
WILLIAM *@*___* *@ 6

Williams won the toss and chose to serve.

The match was on Centre Court after Roger Federer's quick win over
Richard Gasquet, so it started just after the not-before time, at
14:17.

Williams serving 0-0: Williams caught her first toss, but Marion hit
a forehand long on the fourth stroke. 15/0. Williams hit a deep ball
followed by a forehand dropshot-winner. John McEnroe: "Bartoli has
great hands, but her footwork and speed are not her strengths." 30/0.
Williams opened up the court and hit a sliced backhand winner down
the line. 40/0. Marion hit a wild forehand return wide.

Marion serving 0-1: Williams hit a backhand long on the fourth
stroke, precluding the possibility of a Golden Set. 15/0. Williams
opened up the court with a crosscourt backhand, and hit a backhand
winner down the line. 15/15. Marion netted a forehand off a deep
return just inside the baseline. 15/30. Williams netted a forehand
return. 30/30. Marion hit a stunning crosscourt forehand winner
behind Williams! 40/30. Williams forced a short ball and hit a
crosscourt forehand winner. 40/40. Marion challenged a first-serve
fault, but Hawkeye showed that it was well wide. Marion netted a
backhand off a wicked sliced backhand from Williams. Ad Williams
(BP). Double fault (second serve just long).

John McEnroe: "Bartoli cuts off balls so well."

It's too early for despair yet! Marion recovered from 1-6 0-1*
against Henin, has lost the first set in her last three matches,
while Williams has played well in the first set of her last five
matches - including her third-round struggle against that other
Selesian, Akiko Morigami!

Williams serving 2-0: Williams came to the net, forcing Marion to hit
a lob wide. 15/0. Williams netted a backhand. 15/15. Service-winner
out wide. 30/15. Service-winner down the middle. 40/15. Williams hit
a forehand halfway up the net. 40/30. Serve + crosscourt forehand
winner.

John McEnroe: "So far, she hasn't been able to get inside the
baseline on return of serve."

Marion looks pretty anxious at the changeover, and unfortunately
Pierce Brosnan isn't here today - apparently he's attending a wedding.

Marion serving 0-3: Marion hit a low dipping pass to force a weak
volley from Williams, and a forehand pass-winner down Williams's
forehand-line. 15/0. Williams cracked an incredibly powerful
crosscourt forehand winner onto the sideline. 15/15. Marion played a
nice spreading rally until she mishit one slow, and Williams pounced
on it with a backhand winner down the line. 15/30. Marion spread
Williams again, making her run from sideline to sideline and hit a
forehand pass just long. 30/30. Double fault (second serve long after
an exceptionally high energy-bounce). 30/40 (BP). Williams forehand
return long. 40/40. Williams mishit a forehand return just wide.
Ad Marion. Williams played a good spreading rally, finishing with an
unnecessary high forehand volley-winner crosscourt (Marion's pass was
going wide). 40/40. Backhand return long. Ad Marion. Double fault
(second serve into the net). Deuce #2. Marion's crosscourt forehand
stretched Williams wide, forcing her to net a forehand. Ad Marion.
Williams sprayed a forehand wide after a superb-angled crosscourt
backhand from Marion three strokes earlier.

John McEnroe: "Bartoli is excellent at finding angles and making
openings."

Williams serving 3-1: Second serve: Marion came in behind a deep
backhand return just inside the baseline, forcing Williams to hit a
forehand pass wide. 0/15. Williams crosscourt forehand winner just
inside the sideline. 15/15. Williams netted a backhand. 15/30. Double
fault (second serve long). 15/40 (2 BPs). Service-winner. 30/40.
Williams sprayed a wild forehand long to give Marion the break back.

John McEnroe: "Seles was the first girl who really hurt you on the
return - took it early. Bartoli's starting to do that now."
Tracy Austin: "Williams doesn't have that /aura/ she had when she was
dominating in 2000 and 2001. The girls know that she can be streaky
now."

Marion serving 2-3: Williams forehand return just long. 15/0.
Williams crosscourt forehand winner onto the sideline. 15/15. Marion
backhand pass-winner down the line. 30/15. Marion came to the net,
but Williams hit a running crosscourt backhand pass-winner onto the
sideline. 40/15. Williams netted a forehand on the third stroke.
40/30. Williams sprayed a down-the-line backhand just wide.

Tracy Austin: "Bartoli is passing with precision."
John McEnroe: "She catches the ball earlier than her opponent thinks
she is going to. Great hand-eye coordination. She sees the ball very
early."

Williams serving 3-3: Marion forehand return wide. 15/0. Williams,
getting anxious, hit a forehand wide. 15/15. Williams came to the net
and hit an off-backhand drop-volley winner, despite Marion's valiant
attempt to run it down. 30/15. Williams opened up the court and hit
an off-forehand winner. 40/15. Williams netted a forehand off a deep,
flat ball from Marion that really pushed her back behind the
baseline. 40/30. Marion backhand return long.

Jason Goodall said that Marion's great strength is to take her
returns very early: especially on second serves - very much like
Monica Seles.

Tracy Austin: "We talk about how the Williams-sisters raised the bar.
I think Seles did as well. She hit the ball so hard on both sides.
There was no safe place to go."

Marion serving 3-4: Williams forehand long. 15/0. Williams went for a
forehand winner down the line, but it was just wide. 30/0. Service-
winner out wide. 40/0. Marion backhand just long on the third stroke.
40/15. Serve out wide + crosscourt backhand winner.

Marion has definitely settled into this match now after some initial
nerves. Now it's Williams who's looking nervous.

Tracy Austin: "Bartoli does have terrific footwork. She's not speedy
from A to B, but she does take lots of tiny steps to get herself on
balance. Copied that from Seles too."

Williams serving 4-4: Marion netted a forehand - "a little late"
[Tracy Austin]. 15/0. Marion forehand long. 30/0. Williams crosscourt
forehand volley-winner. 40/0. Service-winner out wide.

Marion's father used to stick balls on her heels to force her to be
on her toes! Another thing she did was to practise on an indoor court
with a very narrow gap between the baseline and the back wall,
forcing her to stand inside the baseline.

Marion serving 4-5: Williams hit a hard, deep crosscourt backhand,
forcing Marion to earth a backhand lob. 0/15. Williams crosscourt
backhand winner off a short mishit lob just inside the sideline from
Marion. 0/30. Williams netted a forehand return. 15/30. Double fault
(second serve just long). 15/40 (2 SPs). With the wind rising, Marion
netted her first serve after a let. Williams came to the net, but
Marion took her time and hit a crosscourt backhand pass-winner
against the wind. 30/40 (SP #2). Williams came to the net, forced a
floater from Marion, and hit a backhand drive-volley winner to
Marion's right. Williams won the first set 6-4 at 15:03.

Marion may have lost the first set, but having won four of the last
seven games, she might just have the momentum still.

Williams hasn't been coming to the net as much as she did against Ana
Ivanovic in the semi-finals.


Second set
----------
BARTOLI ___*___ 1
WILLIAM *@* *@* 6

Williams serving 0-0: Marion ran down a dropshot but netted a
backhand. 15/0. Body-jamming service-winner. 30/0. Williams hit a
sliced backhand approach long. 30/15. Double fault (second serve into
the net). 30/30. Serve out wide + sliced forehand down the line
virtual winner. 40/30. A good serve forced a very short return, and
Williams cleaned up with an off-forehand winner.

Marion serving 0-1: Marion tried to follow up a deep crosscourt
backhand with a backhand dropshot, but hit it into the net. 0/15.
Williams netted a backhand. 15/15. An intriguing rally ended with
Williams hitting a forehand winner down the line, despite having
slipped in the middle of the rally. 15/30. Marion came in behind a
backhand down the line, and hit a crosscourt backhand drive-volley
virtual winner. 30/30. Double fault (wild second serve very long).
30/40 (BP). A long rally ended with Williams hitting a forehand wide
off a deep ball from Marion. Tracy Austin: "She was in the middle of
the court, making Williams do all the running." 40/40. She hit a
forehand wide off a deep return from Williams. Ad Williams (BP #2).
Williams forehand return just long. Deuce #2. Service-winner.
Ad Marion. She netted a backhand with Williams at the net. Deuce #3.
Williams backhand smash-winner. Ad Williams (BP #3).
Williams crosscourt backhand + backhand winner down the line.

Williams serving 2-0: Williams forehand just long on the third
stroke. 0/15. Marion came to the net, forcing Williams to net a
forehand. 0/30. Ace down the middle. 15/30. Marion netted a backhand.
30/30. Body-jamming service-winner. 40/30. Marion forehand return
wide.

John McEnroe: "She's able to take the ball so early - her swings are
so short."

Marion took a medical time-out for a blister on her left sole.
Apparently she had it before the match, but needed to have her foot
restrapped.

Williams took a medical time-out too - it looks like an adductor-
muscle in her left thigh. After a lengthy evaluation, she took the
MTO to get it strapped.

Marion serving 0-3: Williams sprayed a backhand wide. Prolonged
clapping from the crowd made Marion smile. 15/0. Williams netted a
forehand. 30/0. Williams sprayed a wild backhand very long. 40/0.
Williams on the fourth stroke hit a backhand long.

Williams is limping, while Marion looks revived.

Williams serving 3-1: Marion played a fantastic spreading rally...
until she netted a down-the-line forehand with an open court. 15/0.
Marion netted a backhand. 30/0. Marion saw how close Williams was to
the net, and hit a beautifully-flighted lob-winner over her left
shoulder. 30/15. Marion backhand return wide. 40/15. Williams framed
an attempted forehand smash long, off an awkward lob from Marion that
was higher than Williams thought it was. 40/30. Serve + crosscourt
forehand winner.

Marion serving 1-4: Williams backhand winner down the line after an
exchange of crosscourt backhands just inside the sidelines. 0/15.
Williams netted an unforced backhand. 15/15. Williams forehand return-
winner down the line. 15/30. Marion came to the net, hit one forehand
volley, but netted a forehand drop-volley winner. 15/40 (2 BPs). A
crosscourt forehand from Marion on the third stroke hardly bounced at
all, forcing Williams to earth a forehand. An amusing shout of "come
on Marion" from some man in the crowd made everyone laugh. 30/40.
Marion hit a fabulous off-backhand down the line, which bounced very
low and forced Williams to earth a forehand. 40/40. Williams forehand
just long. Ad Marion. She hit a backhand long. Deuce #2. Marion went
for a crosscourt forehand winner onto the sideline, but it was just
wide. Ad Williams (BP #3). Williams forced a short ball, and broke
with a crosscourt backhand winner onto the sideline.

The commentators said Marion was having both an emotional and a
physical let-down after so much tennis in the last few days.

Williams serving 5-1: Marion was too weary to run down a poor
dropshot from Williams, earthing a backhand. 15/0. Service-winner
(125mph). Marion is feeling both wrists. 30/0. A deep backhand return
induced Williams to spray a forehand long. 30/15. Williams crosscourt
backhand winner onto the sideline, but Marion's not running now.
40/15 (2 MPs). A long spreading rally by Marion ended with Williams
hitting a forehand long. 40/30 (MP #2). Williams made an end of
things with a deep, body-jamming first serve onto the service-line
which handcuffed Marion, forcing her to earth a forehand return.
Williams won 6-4 6-1 at 15:48.

Marion is sitting in her chair, her lower face covered by a towel,
and looking close to tears. She's a very emotional girl who has been
known to be in floods of tears after matches.

Tracy Austin: "Bartoli played a great match today, but Venus just had
too many weapons. Bartoli has so much to be proud of, she showed true
disappointment when receiving the runner's-up trophy, and that'll
take her a long way."


Marion's on-court interview
---------------------------

SUE BARKER: Well, I think, Marion, from the ovation you got there,
you've won a lot of fans here the last fortnight. <loud cheer from
the crowd>

MARION BARTOLI: Well, thank very much for coming out today and
supporting me. I mean, it was awesome since yesterday already. To get
all this crowd behind me helped me a lot to try to focus until the
end and keep playing ??my man??. It was possible to win for me -
unfortunately I didn't won today. I'm a bit disappointed, but thank
you very much for your support again. <sniff>

SUE BARKER: Marion, I know you must be very disappointed, but when
you look back at the Championships, you beat the world #1, the world
#3 - you have so much to be proud of.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I know, but I think the world #1 on grass is
definitely Venus, so congratulation Venus for your awesome play here.
And of course I'm very ??up here?? on my way to the final here, and I
didn't believe it was a final today for me. And to play on this
Centre Court on the ladies' day on the Saturday's like a dream come
true for me. And this dream was impossible because of one person, and
one person only: my dad, so thank you very much, Dad. <Dr. Walter
Bartoli broke down and cried on Richard Williams's shoulder!>

SUE BARKER: The proud father looking on - it's great. But you've got
the hands on a trophy here. You haven't been past the fourth round of
a Grand Slam. You've got the runner's-up trophy - I know that's to be
proud of - but there'll be many trophies to come. You looking forward
to coming back next year?

MARION BARTOLI: Oh, definitely. If I'm here and speaking to you next
year in the same place, with already the same trophy, I would be
really happy. <laughing>

SUE BARKER: Congratulations. Fantastic tournament. Marion Bartoli!


Williams's on-court interview
-----------------------------

"I have so many people to thank: Serena, my mom, my sparring-partner
David Witt, my dad, my trainers, my physios.

"My family knows what I went through being off. It's been a long road
back, but I've beaten some of the best players in the world,
including Marion.

"Growing up, I always admired Pete Sampras. It's so important to win
Wimbledon, especially now that we have equal prize-money. Billie-Jean
King has done so much for women's tennis, and I wouldn't be here
without her.

"In theory, I always believed I could do it, and I trained for it,
but to actually do it is something else completely!"


Williams stood clutching the Venus Rosewater Dish, laughing with pure
joy, and Marion couldn't resist making a pass at that beautiful
golden plate!

Sue Barker: "Marion is such a charming girl, and the crowd really
took to her."


Marion's BBC interview
----------------------

Marion seemed disappointed in this interview.

"To be in the final for the first time, I couldn't really believe it.
The emotions started to come out an hour before the match, when they
asked me to give my outfit to the museum. It was a little too much.

"I really tried my best today, but unfortunately it was not enough,
because she played some awesome tennis today.

"It was tighter than the score, but she played big tennis at the
right time. And served big - 125mph for a girl! She just didn't give
me the chance to coming back.

"Today I'm a little disappointing, but tomorrow will be better.

"My dad is very sensitive, and I'm sure it's more like a joy-cry than
a sad cry. My brother was here; my grandparents were here as well.

"Thank you Pierce [Brosnan] - if you're watching this - for leaving a
letter and some flowers in my locker-room. It was really nice to
speak to him.

"I hate to lose, and if I have one more chance to be in the final, I
swear to God I won't lose it again. It's really hard to see someone
else holding the trophy. If I am in this position one more time, I
will win it."


Williams's BBC interview
------------------------

"In 2005, people said that I couldn't do it. This year, no one picked
me to win. But I had other feelings about that!

"[Akiko Morigami] was playing tough [in the third round]. When you're
3-5* down, you have nowhere else to go but break, hold, break, hold.

"No one was more determined than me. I just wanted it more. I was
able to pick up my game. I had to play a lot within myself - take
pace off the ball, use a lot more spin than I would like.

"This tournament has been some of my best statistics on first serve,
and that makes it much easier for me.

"I don't like the gym, but I do what I have to. I love what I do, I
believe in my game, and I believe in the work I've put in, so there's
no reason I can't come back and win. I peak at this tournament."


Articles
--------

Venus eyes fourth Wimbledon title [CEEFAX 490->493]
>>>
Three-time champion Venus Williams will take on outsider Marion
Bartoli in the Wimbledon final on Saturday.

The pair will meet for the first time after France's Bartoli caused a
huge upset by beating top seed Justine Henin in the semi-finals on
Friday.

Williams, seeded 23rd, will try to add to her titles of 2000, 2001
and 2005 in her sixth Wimbledon final.

The match is scheduled for 14:00 BST, although it could be delayed as
it follows a men's semi-final.
<<<

BOND GIRL BARTOLI HAS TITLE MISSION [Teletext 495->496]
>>>
Bartoli has title dream [Teletext 495-> 496]
Bartoli on title mission [Teletext 496]

France's Marion Bartoli will have to do without the support of former
James Bond star Pierce Brosnan when she faces Venus Williams in the
Wimbledon final.

Bartoli put her semi-final victory over world No 1 Justine Henin down
to the backing of a supportive Brosnan.

Bartoli said: "I said to myself, 'It's not possible I play so bad in
front of him.' I saw he was cheering for me. I will be really up for
the final."
<<<

VENUS WINS FOURTH WIMBLEDON TITLE [CEEFAX 490->491]
>>>
Venus wins fourth Wimbledon title [CEEFAX 491]

Venus Williams clinched her fourth Wimbledon singles title with a 6-4
6-1 win over 18th seed marion Bartoli.

After a nervy start, Bartoli, 22, matched Williams in a hard-fought
first set, but finally cracked at 4-5 down.

Williams, 27, continued to pile on the pressure, and broke again
after an epic opening game to the second set.

And despite needing treatment on a thigh problem, Williams powered on
to victory and another title to add to those she won in 2000, 2001
and 2005.


Williams inspired by early scares [CEEFAX 491]

Venus Williams said her rocky start to this year's Wimbledon helped
her beat Marion Bartoli to win her fourth title.

The American 23rd seed scraped through two of her early matches 7-5
in the final set, but found her form in the latter stages of the
tournament.

"The other (titles) I felt like I was playing championship form from
minute one," said the 27-year-old.

"But here I really had to focus on my game and overcome a lot of
challenges. I'm very tired but I feel fantastic."


Bartoli praises strength of Venus [CEEFAX 491]

Women's runner-up Marion Bartoli paid tribute to the power of four-
time champion Venus Williams.

"I really tried m best. Venus just played some unbelievable tennis,"
said 22-year-old Bartoli, who lost 6-4 6-1.

"She served 120mph on first serve - sometimes it was hurting my
wrists because the ball was coming so fast.

"I think I played a great match, but in the end she was just too
good. It's just not possible to beat her when she plays like this on
grass."
<<<

VENUS CLAIMS FOURTH WIMBLEDON TITLE [Teletext 495->496]
>>>
Venus nets fourth title [Teletext 496]

Venus Williams swept to her fourth Wimbledon title following an
impressive straight-sets victory over 18th seed Marion Bartoli on
Centre Court.

Williams proved too strong for the unheralded Frenchwoman, despite
calling for the trainer in the second set, and eased to a 6-4 6-1
triumph.

It means Williams, as the 23rd seed, becomes the lowest-ranked player
ever to win the women's singles crown.


Venus - Victory so sweet [Teletext 496]

Venus Williams admitted her fourth Wimbledon title was made all the
sweeter by her season-long struggle with a wrist injury.

The Los-Angeles born star defeated Marion Bartoli 6-1 6-4 to add to
the titles she won in 2000, 2001 and 2005.

Williams said: "My family knows what I went through when I was off
with the injury. It was a long road back, but I always believed I
could do it."


Bartoli sets sights high [Teletext 496]

Marion Bartoli set her sights on winning next year's championship
after coming up short against Venus Williams.

The French 18th seed defeated world No 1 Justine Henin in an epic
semi-final, but was overpowered in the final as her American opponent
won 6-1 6-4.

But Bartoli, who lives in Geneva, said: "I'll be happy if I come back
here next year and reach the final again - with the trophy in my
hands."
<<<

Bartoli admits to service struggles [Teletext 495->499] (Sunday 8th
July)
>>>
Bartoli: Serve a struggle [Teletext 499]

Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli admitted she struggled to deal with
the power of Venus Williams's serve.

The American regularly served at more than 120mph in a 6-4 6-1 win
over Bartoli, who claimed some major scalps to reach her first Grand
Slam final.

The Frenchwoman said: "You get some shock into the wrist, which I'm
not used to because I don't play against girls hitting the balls like
this."
<<<

Venus clinches fourth Wimbledon crown
by Angus MacKinnon for Agence France Presse (AFP)
>>>
Venus Williams joined an exclusive club of women to have won four
Wimbledon titles when she overpowered surprise-finalist Marion
Bartoli here on Saturday.

Although the contest was far closer than the 6-4 6-1 scoreline
suggested, the American - seeded only 23rd as a result of injuries
which have severely restricted her playing-schedule - always looked
the more likely winner.

She added to her 2000, 2001 and 2005 titles with another turbo-
charged display of tennis against an opponent who had created one of
the biggest surprises in the tournament's history by beating world
number one Justine Henin in the semi-final.

Bartoli, who had never previously gone beyond the fourth round at any
Grand Slam tournament, had come back from a set down in the wins over
Jelena Jankovic, Michaëlla Krajícek and Henin which had carried her
to the most unexpected of final appearances.

But there was to be no repeat of those heroics against Williams, who
reproduced the kind of form she had displayed in demolishing two
Grand Slam winners - Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova - in her
quarter-final and semi-final matches.

Williams, who has battled back to the top after missing much of last
year with a wrist-injury, said she had been inspired by her sister
Serena's comeback to win the Australian Open in January.

"My family know what I went through," she said. "It has been a long
road back, but I am so happy to have brought it all together here."

Williams becomes only the fourth woman in the Open era to have won
four Wimbledon-titles, following in the footsteps of Martina
Navrátilová, Steffi Graf and Billie-Jean King.

"I always believed I could do it, but to actually do it is something
else completely," she said.

The win also ensured that Williams became the lowest-seeded Wimbledon
winner in the women's singles, beating her own record of winning as
14th seed in 2005.

Bartoli acknowledged that she simply did not have enough weapons at
her disposal to counter the Williams arsenal on grass.

She said: "I tried to focus until the end and play my match, but the
world number one on grass is definitely Venus, so congratulations to
her."

Williams, 27, picked up where she had left off against Sharapova and
Kuznetsova with an immaculate start to the final played in bright
sunny conditions at the end of a fortnight blighted by grey skies and
rain.

After holding her own serve to love, she capitalised on a nervous
opening service-game by Bartoli to claim a break, and soon had moved
smoothly into a 3-0 lead.

But the one-sided contest many in the Centre Court must have feared
at that stage did not materialise.

The nervousness that had afflicted Bartoli in the opening games
dissipated, and she rallied to level things up at 3-3 with the help
of an overcooked Williams-forehand which handed her a fifth-game
break of serve.

From then, there was little in it until Bartoli double faulted at 4-5
(15/30) to hand her opponent two set-points.

She managed to save the first one, but there was nothing she could do
on the next one when Williams rifled a forehand down the line,
followed it in, and clinched the set with a swinging backhand volley
from mid-court.

Williams pressed home her advantage with a break in an exhilarating
second game of the second set, claiming it at the third attempt with
a fine backhand down the line after Bartoli had saved an earlier
break-point by coming out on top at the end of a 21-stroke rally.

With the match slipping away from her at 0-3 down in the second,
Bartoli opted for a medical break to have a foot re-strapped.

That prompted Williams to seek treatment on her left thigh, and the
result was an interruption of play that lasted 11 minutes.

If Bartoli's goal had been to upset her opponent's rhythm, she
appeared to have succeeded as the French player won the first game
after the restart to love.

But normal service was resumed on Williams's next service-game and,
at 1-4 down, Bartoli's resistance evaporated. Another break gave
Williams the chance to serve for the match.

A stinging crosscourt backhand clipped the outside of the line and
gave her two match-points. Bartoli saved the first, but there was
nothing she could do about the unstoppable serve that Williams
hammered down on the second to end the contest after one hour and 30
minutes.
<<<

Venus wins Wimbledon final against Bartoli
By Clare Lovell for Reuters
>>>
Venus Williams won her fourth Wimbledon-title on Saturday, beating
French 18th seed Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-1 with a commanding performance
in the final.

The American, seeded 23 after injury, took control of the match from
the start. She opened 3-0 leads in each set, and never let surprise-
finalist Bartoli get a foothold.

"It's been a long road back and I've had some tough losses, but I've
brought it together here and beaten some of the best players in the
world, including Marion," said Williams, who missed the Australian
Open in January with a wrist-problem.

Williams won the toss, and took the first game to love with her
powerful serve to set the tone of the match.

Bartoli, 22, won her first points on her own serve in the next game,
but Williams kept up the pressure forcing her to deuce, returning
hard and early, and making the break when the nervous Frenchwoman
served a double fault.

The French 18th seed, who beat world number one Justine Henin in the
semi-finals on Friday, finally got a game on the board in the fourth
with some big forehand groundstrokes despite having a break-point
against her.

With the crowd backing her as the underdog despite her higher
seeding, Bartoli broke back in the fifth game on her second break-
point when the American sent a forehand long.

Games went with serve until Williams, grunting with effort, upped the
pace in the 10th game on Bartoli's serve.

A wild forehand gave Williams two set-points, and Bartoli saved one
with a forehand pass. But she could not hold the experienced
American, who claimed the set with an aggressive backhand volley
after 46 minutes.

STUNNING BACKHAND

In the second set, Williams wowed the crowd with a stunning backhand
smash to earn break-point for a 2-0 lead.

She completed the break with a backhand down the line that a lunging
Bartoli could not reach.

Williams had looked erratic in the opening rounds, but her
groundstrokes were humming and her volleys sharp on Saturday.

She raced into a 3-0 lead, and during the changeover, Bartoli took an
injury time-out to have her bandaged foot re-strapped.

Immediately afterwards, Williams also requested some treatment to her
groin, and Bartoli pleased the crowd by joining in their Mexican wave.

Williams returned with a strapped thigh, and seemed to have lost her
range somewhat, sending groundstrokes long for Bartoli to win her
serve to love.

The American, chasing a sixth Grand-Slam title, got a grip in the
next game, and soon moved the score to 4-1.

Bartoli missed a volley on her serve to gift Williams two break-
points in the sixth game. She saved the first with a walloping
forehand, and the second with an inch-perfect backhand. Williams
earned a third, and this time converted it with a backhand winner.

Serving for the match at 5-1, Williams was too experienced to falter.
She set up two match-points with a sizzling backhand, and though
Bartoli saved one after a tense rally, Williams converted the second
with a huge serve that Bartoli could not return.
<<<

Venus Williams win Wimbledon title
By Duncan Bech, Special to PA SportsTicker
>>>
Venus Williams claimed her fourth Wimbledon singles-title with an
efficient 6-4 6-1 victory over Marion Bartoli on Centre Court.

Williams, competing in her sixth final at the All England Club,
overpowered her 22-year-old opponent with a display which was
ruthlessly effective at key moments.

The American met with stubborn resistance throughout as Bartoli, who
was clearly fatigued from yesterday's epic triumph over No. 1 seed
Justine Henin, battled bravely for every point.

Bartoli had produced one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history
in toppling Henin, but there was to be no fairytale ending to her
fifth appearance at SW19 and best run at a Grand Slam event.

"Venus played some unbelievable tennis," Bartoli said. "I mean, she
reached some balls like I never see one person reach on a tennis-
court, and she would even hit it harder back to me. So I really tried
my best, I think, and I played a great match, but at the end she was
just too good.

"I can't say a player can beat her when she plays like this on grass.
I mean, it's not possible to beat her. She's just too good, you know."

But she had made history by contesting the lowest-ranked women's
final at the All England Club - Williams was seeded 23 and Bartoli 18.

Williams sounded an ominous warning when she blazed through the
opening game by winning every point, and then picked apart Bartoli's
serve in the second.

The Frenchwoman, ranked 19 in the world, looked nervous, and double-
faulted on break-point to hand Williams a 2-0 lead. Williams was
glued to the baseline where she could overpower her opponent with a
string of accurate, powerful strokes.

With her stamina sapped by yesterday's epic against Henin, Bartoli
double-faulted once again to concede another break-point in the
fourth - only for Williams to squander the opportunity with a long
forehand.

It was Williams' turn to double fault in the fifth, conceding two
break points and hitting the second long to haul her opponent back
into the set.

The American's error-count was growing steadily as her earlier
authority vanished, largely as a result of the resistance offered by
Bartoli.

Bartoli was serving to save the set in the 10th, and she wilted in
the face of a ferocious onslaught from Williams, who accompanied
every shot with a loud cry of intent.

A double fault handed the 27-year-old two set-points. The first was
saved with a fine passing-shot, but Williams smashed the second out
of reach.

Bartoli came under siege early in the second set, and initially dug
herself out of trouble with a series of crisp forehands, only to then
be broken by a thunderous Williams backhand.

Play was interrupted when the former junior French Open champion
required treatment on an array of blisters on her left foot, and
Williams followed suit, receiving attention to her left leg.

Bartoli was first up on her feet, and she grew impatient waiting for
Williams, whose thigh was now heavily strapped.

When play finally resumed, Bartoli raced through her serve, and
caught the eye with a precise lob which left Williams stranded.

But she conceded three break-points in the sixth, with Williams
smashing a vicious backhand to claim the third.

Serving for the match, Williams ended Bartoli's resistance with an
unstoppable serve to take the set 6-1 - and the title.

Williams admitted the victory was made all the sweeter by her season-
long struggle with a wrist-injury that has affected her world ranking.

"I have so many people to thank. My sister Serena inspired me by
winning the Australian Open at the start of the year. I wanted to be
like her," Venus Williams said. "My mum helped me out in the first
round, and my family knows what I went through when I was off with
the injury.

"It was a long road back with some tough losses to take. But it was
great to be here, and Marion was a really tough opponent. It's so
exciting to win four titles. I always believed I could do it, but to
actually do it is something different completely."

Bartoli paid tribute to her father and coach Walter, and set her
sights on winning next year's Wimbledon title.

"I'm disappointed with the result, but I have to thank everyone on
Centre Court for the support I've had," Bartoli said. "The world
number one on grass is Venus, so congratulations to her for the way
she played here.

"For me to play in the final on Centre Court was a dream come true,
and it is possible because of one person only - my dad. Thank you
Dad. I'll be happy if I come back here next year and reach the final
again - with the trophy in my hands."
<<<

Bartoli falls one step short of Cinderella Wimbledon
By Rex Gowar for Reuters
>>>
Marion Bartoli's Cinderella dream at Wimbledon was not to be on
Saturday, though her self-belief must surely make it a possibility in
the future.

"I want this title so bad. I want it so much," Bartoli said after her
6-4 6-1 defeat by Venus Williams in the final.

"I mean, for me to win this trophy and to hold it in your hands, this
is the reward you can ever imagine in tennis.

"To be able to go to the ball and wear the dress, and be with the
men's champion, everything that happens in this tournament, which is
the only tournament like that. I want it so bad, and I lost," the
teary-eyed Frenchwoman said.

The 22-year-old surprise-finalist credited her achievement - after a
shock semi-final victory over world number one Justine Henin on
Friday - down to the self-belief instilled in her by her doctor
father Walter.

"My dad always believed in me, in whatever I was doing. It was
tennis, classical dance. Before I was doing some classical dance,
some ballet," she told reporters.

"Always he has believed in me, and in my capacity to be at the best -
one of the best in the world in what I was doing.

"This gives you so much confidence, so much strength; you're able to
go and walk the world."

Bartoli found Williams, who chalked up her fourth Wimbledon-title,
too tough, even though she was seeded five places above the American,
who was 23rd having dropped down the world-rankings after injury.

"Venus played some unbelievable tennis. She reached some balls like
I've never seen a person reach... and she would even hit it harder
back to me," said the overawed Frenchwoman.

"She served 120 miles (an hour) on first serve. Sometimes it hurt my
wrist so bad, because the ball was coming so fast to me.

"So, I really tried my best, and played a great match, but at the end
she was just too good."

Bartoli added: "I'm a competitor and I hate to lose.

"Of course, tomorrow I won't be that disappointed because I will
realise what I achieved, which is already awesome... and everybody
will tell me that."

Actor Pierce Brosnan, who watched her thrilling win over Henin,
missed the final, but was with her in spirit even if he could not
inspire another upset.

"He left me a bouquet of flowers this morning with a letter in my
locker-room, which I thought was really, really nice," said Bartoli.
<<<

>>>
Wimbledon lifts Venus to great heights again
By Martyn Herman for Reuters
>>>
Summertime arrived apologetically late at Wimbledon on Saturday, just
as Venus Williams burst once again from the shadows to walk off with
the silverware.

As she did two years ago when she came in at number 14, the imposing
American made a mockery of a low seeding to prove that, when fit and
healthy, not many can tame her on grass-courts.

The spirited Marion Bartoli tried her best, but ultimately the French
18th seed was ill-equipped to deny the 27-year-old Williams a fourth
Wimbledon-title, losing 6-4 6-1.

"I feel fantastic. My sixth Slam... I want some more," said Williams,
who began the year ranked 48th in the world and missed the Australian
Open with a wrist-injury.

Her younger sister Serena, who was watching from the stands, won that
Australian Open ranked 81st, and Venus said her achievement there
spurred her for Wimbledon.

"When I saw her win in Australia, I knew I could do it. We love each
other and inspire each other like that," Venus, whose last Grand-Slam
title came here two years ago, said.

Bartoli said she had been inspired by former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan
sitting in the Royal Box when she caused one of the great Wimbledon-
shocks by beating world number one Justine Henin in the semi-final
less than 24 hours earlier.

He missed the final, but with serves and groundstrokes exploding off
the Williams-racket, the Frenchwoman needed all of James Bond's
powers of self-preservation, while a few of his sneaky gadgets would
have come in handy too.

Bartoli did bring her unorthodox grass-cutting double-handers to the
battle, but was left standing time after time as Venus blasted 22
baseline-winners and at least as many unplayable firecrackers.

"Venus played some unbelievable tennis," said Bartoli, who learnt her
game on a basketball-court.

"She served 120mph on first serve. Sometimes it was hurting my wrist
so bad because the ball was coming so fast.

"Nobody can beat her when she plays like this on grass. It's not
possible."

MEXICAN WAVE

At least she appeared to enjoy her first Grand-Slam final. In one
lengthy interlude midway through the second set when her opponent was
having strapping applied to her left thigh, she joined in with a
Mexican wave.

Venus, who broke her own record as the lowest seed (23) to win
Wimbledon since computer-rankings began in 1975, had only one moment
of alarm in a largely predictable contest.

After striding into a 3-0 lead, she was pegged back to 3-3 as
Bartoli's low, skimming shots began to find the corners and keep
Venus lurching along the baseline.

Normal service was resumed with Bartoli serving at 4-5 in the first
set, however. Two scorching Williams backhand winners, followed by a
Bartoli double fault, gave her set-points, and she pounced in
ruthless fashion.

Bartoli's final flourish came in the second game of the second set,
when she matched her American opponent shot for shot in a sequence of
mesmerizing rallies.

At deuce, Williams leapt athletically to angle away a high backhand
volley off an attempted topspin lob, and she eventually sealed the
decisive break with another backhand bullet.

The players traded injury-timeouts at 3-0, Bartoli having her foot
taped, and Venus having repairs on her thigh.

On the resumption, Bartoli held serve but Williams was simply
unstoppable.

Serving with two breaks at 5-1, she finished the contest in merciless
fashion. One bone-crunching first serve, clocked at 125mph, bent back
Bartoli's wrist, and she clinched victory with another one that
nearly cut her opponent in half.

Bartoli's defeat ended French resistance in the Wimbledon singles
after Richard Gasquet had earlier been brushed aside 7-5 6-3 6-4 by
Swiss world number one Roger Federer, who set up a second successive
Wimbledon-final against Rafael Nadal.
<<<

Venus treasures trophy but unlikely to put it by her bed
By Sonia Oxley
>>>
LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - Venus Williams said her fourth Wimbledon-
trophy was special because she had overcome so much to win it, but
that she was unlikely to swap it with her 2005 one which she keeps by
her bed.

Williams got off to a wobbly start at this year's championships when
she was taken to three sets in her first and third round matches.

The former world number one also had to contend with an unfamiliar
seeding of 23 because of a series of injury-setbacks.

"This win, it's so much different from the others, because the other
ones I felt like I was playing in championship-form from minute one,"
she told a news-conference after defeating Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-1 on
Saturday.

"Here, I really had to focus on my game, you know, overcome a lot of
challenges, including obviously being seeded low, those kinds of
things."

Two years ago she also had a lower-than-usual seeding of 14, and
saved a match-point against Lindsay Davenport in what was the longest
women's final at the All England Club.

"The last time I won, it was a really outrageous way to win. I keep
that trophy by my bed. That's the only one I keep close to me. I
don't know if it [this year's] can replace that trophy, but it's so
wonderful," she said.

Her sister Serena's Australian Open title this year, when ranked 81
in the world, had inspired Venus to go for it at Wimbledon, and she
said her latest victory would now encourage Serena to come back with
another.

"We motivate each other to get more. When she sees me win here, she's
just going to go for it," she said.

"When I saw her win in Australia, I knew I could do it."

She said her main goal now was to stay fit and start adding to her
collection of Grand-Slam titles.

"My sixth Slam -- I want some more," she said.
<<<

'No one picked me to win': Venus Williams claims 4th Wimbledon title
By Howard Fendrich, AP Tennis Writer
>>>
Improbable as this Wimbledon-title might have seemed, Venus Williams
knew it could happen.

Far away as that trophy might have appeared only last week, Williams
knew she had the game and the grit to grab it.

Oh, how her serves and strokes sizzle on the grass of Centre Court.

With a dominant run through the latter rounds, Williams became the
lowest-ranked woman to win Wimbledon, beating Marion Bartoli of
France 6-4 6-1 Saturday for her fourth championship at the All
England Club.

"I was really motivated because no one picked me to win. They didn't
even say, 'She can't win.' They weren't even talking about me," said
Williams, who reached No. 1 in 2002 but entered Wimbledon ranked No.
31. "I never would doubt myself that way."

Even after missing time with a left-wrist injury? Even after being
two points from defeat against a teenager ranked 59th [Alla
Kudryavtseva] in the first round? Even after trailing 5-3 in the
final set against someone ranked 71st [Akiko Morigami] in the third?

There really wasn't a smidgen of surprise that she once more got to
clutch the Venus Rosewater Dish, as the Wimbledon-champion's plate
happens to be known?

"For me? No," she said. "I just have to go out there and execute.
I have the experience and everything to do it."

It was similar to the performance turned in by Williams' younger
sister Serena in January, when she won the Australian Open while
ranked 81st. Clearly, rankings mean nothing when it comes to the
Williams-siblings. Nor does recent form.

If they are in a tournament, they can win it.

"As long as we're fit," the 27-year-old Williams said, "we just have
so much more to give on the court."

Bartoli, who hits two-fisted forehands and backhands, learned that
lesson quickly.

She hadn't faced Williams anywhere, let alone on grass - where balls
skid more than they bounce - and Bartoli quickly discovered it was
like nothing she'd ever experienced on a tennis-court.

By the end, she was flexing her wrists and shaking her hands, trying
to alleviate the sting from Williams' serves at up to 125 mph.

"I'm not playing against girls every day hitting the balls like
this," Bartoli said. "I mean, it's not possible to beat her. She's
just too good."

Williams was forced to play her last four matches without a break,
and she dropped a grand total of 22 games while beating No. 2 Maria
Sharapova in the fourth round, No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the
quarterfinals, No. 6 Ana Ivanovic in the semi-finals, and Bartoli.

It was a remarkable display of shotmaking, court-coverage and
consistency, match after match. Not only did Williams whip perfectly
placed strokes from all sorts of angles, she repeatedly tracked down
opponents' apparent winners and got them back.

Against Bartoli, she compiled a whopping 27-9 edge in winners, and
won 13 of the 18 points that lasted at least 10 strokes.

"I know how to play this surface," said Williams, the first woman to
receive the same paycheck as the men's champion at the All England
Club. "If there's a surface to pick, grass at Wimbledon's not a bad
choice."

Right from the start, Williams took it to Bartoli, going ahead 3-0.
But Bartoli, who upset No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round and
No. 1 Justine Henin in the semi-finals, made things interesting by
breaking back with the help of a double fault and two groundstroke-
errors by Williams.

All the while, Bartoli stuck to her routines. Before each of her
serves, she would walk to the baseline and hop high once, then bounce
a couple of times, something she said relaxes her legs. Before most
of Williams' serves, Bartoli would turn her back to the court and
take two big cuts, a forehand and a backhand, like a batter in the on-
deck circle.

After 37 minutes, things were even at 4-4. But Williams held at love,
then broke to end the first set with a swinging backhand volley.

That pretty much ended the competitive portion of the proceedings.

Perhaps because the sun finally emerged from the clouds and the
temperature was suddenly in the 70s - ball kids held umbrellas at
changeovers to provide shade - both finalists needed medical timeouts
with Williams up 3-0 in the second set.

Bartoli had her left foot treated, while Williams got down on the
court to have her left leg worked on. The American played the rest of
the way with a thick bandage under her white spandex shorts, which
she began wearing in the second round because the skirt she planned
to use was too big.

"She's a fighter," said her boyfriend, golfer Hank Kuehne. "She's one
of those people that definitely has the ability to elevate her game.
If that's on one leg, then she's going to do that."

As the break stretched to 10 minutes, Bartoli went to the baseline,
then noticed that bored fans were doing the wave. Clearly enjoying
her first Grand Slam final, she joined right along, raising her arms.

After the next point, a fan shouted, "Come on, Tim!" - the familiar
rallying cry for Tim Henman - and Bartoli, who was about to serve,
dropped her arms to her side and laughed. Then she turned and wagged
a finger.

Williams was playing in her 12th Grand Slam final - sixth at the All
England Club - and winning her sixth major title. Bartoli was in her
sixth tournament-final, and never before had been beyond the fourth
round at a major.

"You walk into that court," she said, "and you know you're a part of
history."

When they walked off that court, the one Williams knows so well, they
passed the board that lists the past champions. Already stenciled in,
below similar entries for 2000, 2001 and 2005, was Williams' name,
next to 2007. Clutching a bouquet of flowers, Williams stared at it,
her mouth agape.

At about that time, her father was recalling that when Venus was 9,
she would talk about how many Wimbledon-titles she wanted to win one
day.

"I think she can win three more," Richard Williams said, "and I would
be disappointed if she didn't."

At this point, who would doubt it?
<<<

Bartoli thrilled by Grand Slam final, even in defeat
By Stuart Condie, AP Sports Writer
>>>
Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli wouldn't have wanted to play
anywhere else.

Not even in front of her home-fans.

"I love the French Open because, first of all, I love Paris," Bartoli
said after losing to Venus Williams 6-4 6-1 Saturday in her first
Grand Slam final. "But, you know, Wimbledon is so special because of
all those traditions."

Bartoli upset top-ranked Justine Henin and No. 3 Jelena Jankovic to
reach the final at the All England Club, surpassing her previous best
of fourth round at Roland Garros this year.

The 22-year-old Frenchwoman said she was sad to lose, but she was
still smiling while talking about the lift she got from the Centre-
Court atmosphere.

"Tomorrow I won't be that disappointed, because I will realise what I
achieved, which is already awesome," Bartoli said. "But right now,
because I want it so bad, yes of course I'm disappointed."

The fans on Centre Court cheered when Bartoli broke Williams to make
it 3-3 in the first set. They were happy again when she joined them
in the wave as it passed through the stands while Williams received
treatment to her leg.

"It's like you have the crowd so close to you, you feel it," Bartoli
said. "You almost feel the people are cheering for you. That you
really do not feel in the French Open that much, or maybe the US
Open, which is even a bigger stadium."

You also don't always get a gift from a famous actor.

After beating Henin, Bartoli said she was inspired by seeing Pierce
Brosnan - who used to play James Bond - in the stands. He paid her
back on Saturday: She found a bouquet of flowers and a letter from
him waiting in the locker-room.

EQUAL PAY: Venus Williams took home the biggest paycheck for a Grand
Slam singles champion - and it's the same amount Roger Federer or
Rafael Nadal will get on Sunday.

Wimbledon is paying equal prize-money to men and women for the first
time this year, so Williams received $1.407 million along with her
title.

Williams was among the proponents of equal prize-money, publishing an
op-ed column on the issue in The Times of London during the
tournament last year.

The headline read, "Wimbledon has sent me a message: I'm only a
second-class champion," and Williams wrote, "How can the
words 'Wimbledon' and 'inequality' be allowed to coexist?"

She mentioned the subject during Saturday's trophy-ceremony, paying
tribute to Billie-Jean King's decades-long rôle in the fight for
equal pay, and prompting a roar of delight from the crowd.

"Thank you, All England Club: we're playing under equal terms,"
Williams said.

Later, she said: "We were ready and willing to do what it took to
have equality on all levels. It was just very important for us.
People heard us. People believed in us."
<<<

Venus backs sister tennis act to keep on running (8th July 2007)
by Angus MacKinnon for Agence France Presse (AFP)
>>>
Venus Williams believes her fourth Wimbledon-title could herald the
start of a new period of dominance for herself and her sister Serena
in women's tennis.

Both sisters endured injury-blighted years in 2006, and there were
plenty of pundits willing to predict that their time at the top of
the women's game was nearing an end.

Those predictions were confounded when Serena came from nowhere to
win the Australian Open in January, a triumph that her elder sister
hailed as the inspiration for her own return to the top at the All
England Club.

A 6-4 6-1 victory over surprise-package Marion Bartoli of France in
Saturday's final was not as one-sided as the score suggests.

But there was never really any serious doubt that Venus, who had
demolished Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova on her way to the
final, would add to her 2000, 2001 and 2005 titles, taking her tally
of Grand Slam titles to six - two behind Serena's haul of eight.

She said: "When it comes to Wimbledon I have more, but in the overall
count I have a couple less. When I saw her win in Australia, I knew I
could do it. We just love each other and inspire each other like
that."

Having missed the second half of last year with a career-threatening
wrist-injury, Venus had had to endure being written off as a spent
force at the age of 27.

But she insisted: "I never doubted myself that I could come back.
There was a lot of work behind the scenes. I started in January, I
finally got to play in February, and step by step I was getting
healthier and stronger, getting back to physically the way I was.

"My family know what I went through," she said. "It has been a long
road back, but I am so happy to have brought it all together here.

"I definitely think Serena and I can play more finals against each
other, as long as we have a chance to prepare and stay fit.

"I feel fantastic after my sixth Slam, and I want some more. It would
have been wonderful if Serena [who lost to Justine Henin in the
quarter-finals here] had also got to the final, and I think it could
happen again, for sure."

Bartoli joked that she had lost because she did not have ex-James
Bond actor Pierce Brosnan cheering her on.

The 22-year-old, who had attributed her semi-final win over Henin to
the presence in the crowd of one of her favourite movie-stars,
revealed that she had received a pre-match bouquet of flowers and a
letter of encouragement from Brosnan.

But even that gesture could not give her the ammunition to match
Williams's firepower.

"Venus just played some unbelievable tennis," Bartoli said. "She
reached balls like I've never seen anyone reach balls on a tennis-
court, and she even hit them back harder.

"I can't see a player who can beat her on grass when she plays like
this. She's just too good, you know.

"When you receive the ball at 120mph, you get a shock in the wrist,
and I'm not used to it."

Despite the disappointment at losing out in her first Grand Slam
final, Bartoli said she would leave London with no regrets.

"It is not because of my nerves that I lost this match," she said. "I
really played the best that I could play. Considering all the fatigue
and that this was my first final, I think I did a pretty good job
overall."

Bartoli, who had never previously gone beyond the fourth round at any
Grand Slam tournament, had come back from a set down in the wins over
Jelena Jankovic, Michaëlla Krajícek and Henin which had carried her
to the most unexpected of final-appearances.

But there was to be no repeat of those heroics against Williams.

Williams becomes only the fourth woman in the Open era to have won
four Wimbledon-titles, following in the footsteps of Martina
Navrátilová, Steffi Graf and Billie-Jean King.

The win also ensured that Williams became the lowest-seeded Wimbledon-
winner in the women's singles, beating her own record of winning as
14th seed in 2005.
<<<

Sampras plays a big part in Williams' success (8th July 2007)
By Frank Malley, Special to PA SportsTicker
>>>
Venus Williams served so hard to win her fourth Wimbledon singles-
title that opponent Marion Bartoli was left nursing a painful wrist.

Williams' power was epitomised by the winning shot, a 126 mph
unreturnable serve straight into the midriff of the 22-year-old
Frenchwoman.

Williams later revealed that Pete Sampras was the inspiration behind
it all.

Venus and sister Serena studied tapes of Sampras in his prime, when
he was recognised as the world's most consistent server. And as they
practised in Compton, California, they vowed that they would dominate
the women's game as he did the men's game.

"Serena and I were inspired by anything and everything, and we always
tried to have something to be an example to us," Williams said after
she defeated Bartoli 6-4 6-1 in a final to parade her fourth Venus
Rosewater Dish around the Centre Court.

"We would always say we needed to hold serve the way he [Sampras]
did. Look, he didn't lose serve all summer. C'mon, why are we losing
serve? We would pump each other up, do whatever it took to get to the
next level. For a few years when he was playing, obviously, we would
try to study it."

The power Williams generated is all the more remarkable considering
she had been months out of the game with a damaged wrist last year,
and struggled in the first half of this year to regain the form which
once made her the most intimidating player on the women's tour.

She had even struggled in her earlier matches at Wimbledon.

"She served 120 miles [per hour] on first serve," Bartoli
said. "Sometimes it was hurting my wrist so bad because the ball was
coming so fast to me.

"It was a little tight, because when you receive a ball at 120 miles,
you get some shock into the wrist which I'm not used to, because I
don't play against girls every day hitting the balls like this."

That's because, other than Serena, no other woman comes close to
Venus' power on a regular basis.

The intriguing question now is whether Williams, who joined the four-
time Wimbledon-champion club inhabited by Martina Navrátilová, Steffi
Graf and Billie-Jean King in the Open era, can go on to win more
Wimbledons and more Grand Slams.

At 27, she is young enough, given health and fitness, but the desire
and concentration has sometimes been lacking in the Williams-sisters.

At times, they have appeared to get bored with tennis, and been
unwilling to do the hard yards required of a champion, preferring
instead to pursue other challenges such as acting and fashion.

Venus, however, insisted that possessing more Wimbledon-titles than
Serena, who has three, will act as an incentive for them both.

"It's not necessarily a competition," Venus said. "But we do motivate
each other to get more. When she sees me win here, she's just going
to go for it.

"When I saw her win in Australia, I knew I could do it. We inspire
each other like that."

As it was, Venus saved her best tennis for the final, her telescopic
arms and legs allowing her to get to the punishing groundstrokes of
an opponent who battled for every ball.

The first set might have gone either way until Williams pulled out a
brilliant 10th game and one sublime backhand drive-volley.

The second was when Williams dominated, before and after the bizarre
11-minute medical timeout at 3-0, during which both players had
treatment from the trainer: Williams for a strained adductor-muscle,
and Bartoli for blisters.

When they returned, it was routine for Williams, who received a
generous tribute from her opponent.

"When she plays like this on grass, it's not possible to beat her,"
Bartoli said. "She's just too good."
<<<

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/3/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1508
>>>
Against All Odds, Venus Prevails

Despite her three previous titles at the event, she was largely
unheralded coming into the Wimbledon-fortnight this year. But she
never counted herself out; on Saturday afternoon, Venus Williams beat
tournament-darling Marion Bartoli to add her name to the
appropriately-named Venus Rosewater Dish once again.

Having sat out the better part of eight months between last July and
this February with a left-wrist injury and put together somewhat up-
and-down results since her return, the former No.1 briefly dropped
out of the Top 50, and came into the tournament ranked No.31. Though
raised in the seedings by the All-England Club, her No.23 seed hardly
gave her a favourable draw. For the first time in years, Williams was
a dark horse.

In the early rounds, Williams definitely looked like a long shot.
Russian teenager Alla Kudryavtseva held a 3-1 third-set lead on her,
while Japan's Akiko Morigami had her 5-3 in the third; but the
American didn't buckle, eventually stringing together wins over No.2
seed Maria Sharapova, No.5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and No.6 seed Ana
Ivanovic to reach her sixth final in the last eight Wimbledons.

"At 3-5, there's nothing else to do except win that game; I had to do
it," Williams said. "In a way, maybe I was destined to play Morigami,
because by the time I played Bartoli, I was ready for those flat,
short, low balls. I had already seen that shot. For me, it was great
to have played Morigami, because it helped me today."

Meanwhile, Bartoli was putting together an even more shocking run as
the No.18 seed, an easy win over No.16 seed Shahar Pe'er in the third
round opening the floodgates for a 3-6 7-5 6-3 win over No.3 seed
Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round, a 3-6 6-3 6-2 win over No.31
seed Michaëlla Krajícek in the quarters, and a stunning 1-6 7-5 6-1
win over No.1 seed Justine Henin in the semis. Those wins propelled
her into her first Grand-Slam final.

Despite being the two lowest-ranked players in WTA-Tour history to
get to the title-match at The Championships, Williams and Bartoli put
on an impressive display of power-tennis; but the agility of Williams
was something of a deciding-factor, carrying her into net 17 times,
and helping her retrieve that much better during the rallies; and
after a somewhat tight first set, she pulled away from Bartoli,
ending the 6-4 6-1 win with a 124mph unreturnable serve into the body.

"Obviously I feel on top of the world," Williams said. "This is a
great surface for me. I know when to play it high or when to play
low - I know how the ball's going to bounce. If there's a surface to
pick, grass at Wimbledon isn't a bad choice."

"Venus played some unbelievable tennis; she reached some balls I've
never seen a person reach like that on a tennis-court, and she hit it
harder back to me," said Bartoli. "I really tried my best and I
played a great match, but at the end she was just too good. I can't
see a player beating her when she plays like this on grass."

In 2005, Williams was the lowest-ranked player ever to win Wimbledon,
and now she breaks her own record. It reaffirms that no matter what
the state of her game going into the event, her aura redefines itself
at the All-England Club.

"This win is so much different from the others, because the other
ones I felt like I was playing in championship-form from minute one;
here, I really had to focus on my game and overcome a lot of
challenges, including being seeded low."

In spite of her breakout-run, Bartoli was visibly disappointed after
the final.

"I wanted this title so bad. For me to win the trophy and hold it in
my hands would be the best reward you could ever imagine. To be able
to go to the ball and wear the dress and be with the men's champion,
just everything that happens in this tournament. I wanted it so bad
and I lost. I'm a competitor, and I hate to lose. Tomorrow, I won't
be that disappointed because I will realise what I achieved, which is
already awesome, of course. But right now, of course, I'm
disappointed."

Williams and Bartoli weren't the only headline-makers of the
Wimbledon-fortnight. A few of the players pegged to make deep runs
here, like defending champion Amélie Mauresmo, former champion
Martina Hingis and 's-Hertogenbosch champ Anna Chakvetadze, were sent
home earlier than expected, while some newer faces like Michaëlla
Krajícek, Tamira Paszek, Nicole Vaidišová and Ana Ivanovic all made
career-best runs on the slick lawns of the All-England Club.

Then, of course, there was the incredible fight from the eventual
champion's young sister Serena Williams, who valiantly battled
through leg-cramps to win her fourth-round match with Daniela
Hantuchová, then pushed Henin to three in the quarters while
suffering from a thumb-injury. Needless to say, the Williams
Wimbledon-legacy was as strong as it has ever been, with Venus
getting the last word in.

"I always imagined winning lots of Wimbledons. But when you start
doing it, you realise how blessed you are to be able to do what you
do, and it's just amazing, it really is. I don't take anything for
granted anymore. I appreciate being healthy, being able to have a
chance just to play. I'm just trying to do my personal best."
<<<

Venus Claims Her Fourth Crown
Written by Ronald Atkin for www.wimbledon.org
>>>
Venus Williams and the Venus Rosewater Dish were reunited on Centre
Court today when the 27-year-old collected her fourth Championship
with a 6-4 6-1 victory over France's Marion Bartoli that was harder
earned than the score would indicate.

Never before in Wimbledon's modern era had the women's final been
contested by players so lowly-ranked. Williams, ranked 31 after an
injury-hit year of little activity, was awarded the 23rd seeding on
the strength of her previous record here, while Bartoli was seeded
18th.

Williams collected Ł700,000 for her one hour and 30 minutes victory,
the first year of equal pay for men and women at Wimbledon, but her
delight at the end showed that the money meant little to this
millionairess whose prospects of another title here had been largely
discounted.

Venus had proved, and how, that she is still a Grand-Slam contender,
despite having arrived at Wimbledon with just seven tournaments this
year and one victory, at Memphis in February.

The 22-year-old Bartoli's high moment had come in the semi-finals on
Friday evening, when her rocketing groundstrokes pole-axed the world
number one and top seed, Justine Henin. Today those were less
effective because of Venus's longer reach and speed around the court.

The way the Centre Court crowd got behind Bartoli was clear
indication that they feared a one-sided contest. That this did not
happen was due to a combination of Bartoli's dogged determination to
give no ground to such famous opposition, and to the fact that Venus
had one of her less accurate days.

She certainly started impressively enough, breaking Bartoli in the
second game thanks to a double fault from the Frenchwoman. That was
elevated to 3-0 before the fightback began, although Venus had a
point for a 4-0 lead (on another double fault).

Then Bartoli settled, buoyed by the crowd's support, stretching
Williams from side to side with her flat, raking groundstrokes from
her double-fisted grip.

She broke Williams when Venus sent a wild forehand sailing over the
baseline and then levelled the match at 3-3, courtesy of two more
poor Williams backhands. Could this become another thriller, like the
Henin match?

As it turned out, no. Bartoli, gallantly though she played, always
looked the inferior performer against such classy opposition, and
when her fifth double fault of the match presented Venus with two set-
points, Bartoli was able to fight off only one of them before
Williams stroked away a sweet backhand volley. The set had lasted 45
minutes.

The second set followed a similar course, with Williams breaking
serve in the second game and going 3-0 up, at which Bartoli took time
out for treatment to her left foot. Williams then also asked for
treatment to her left leg, leading to a stoppage in all of 11 minutes.

When play resumed, Bartoli won the first game to love, but that was
effectively the end of her resistance. Venus sailed through the next
three games, ending with a thunderous serve.

Bartoli, clearly delighted with having reached this stage of the
tournament, congratulated Williams, calling her "the best player on
grass in the world." Today she proved that.
<<<

Consolation Bond Bouquet for Bartoli
Written by Ronald Atkin for www.wimbledon.org
>>>
There were consolations for Marion Bartoli in today's defeat in the
women's final of the 2007 Championships. Things started well when the
James Bond actor, Pierce Brosnan, who had watched her semi-final win
over Justine Henin on Friday evening, left the 22-year-old
Frenchwoman a bouquet of flowers and a letter in the locker room
before she went on court for the final.

And her runner-up prize money of Ł350,000 ($700,000) is almost half
her total career-earnings. There will be consolation, too, in the
knowledge that when the new rankings are issued on Monday, Bartoli
will be at a career-high 11. Had she beaten Venus Williams, she could
have been inside the top 10.

She was also handed a bottle of c********, which she passed on to her
father and coach, Dr. Walter Bartoli, to whom she paid full
tribute. "I have worked with my dad for 16 years, and he always
believed in me, whatever I was doing," she said. "Before tennis, I
was doing some classical dance, some ballet. In this tournament, I
was able to show everybody what I was able to do on a tennis-court,
and this happened because of him."

However, Bartoli could not banish the disappointment she felt. "I
wanted this title so bad. To win this trophy and to hold it in your
hands is the best reward you can imagine in tennis. I'm a competitor
and I hate to lose - really hate to lose.

"But tomorrow I won't be that disappointed, because I will realise
what I achieved, which is awesome of course. And everybody will tell
me that."

Though she reiterated her loyalty to her "home" Grand Slam, the
French Open, Bartoli said she considers Wimbledon special because of
its traditions. "To walk on Centre Court, to see the trophies, to see
the Prince coming on court, you know you're a part of history. All
this stuff makes this tournament really, really special. I mean, it's
going to be forever that I will be the finalist of Wimbledon '07."

Tomorrow it will be back to what she calls "reality" for Bartoli. "I
will be in my garden, alone with my cat, and everything will be back
to the usual. I think it's a very good thing to bring you back to
earth, to get back to work."

But, as she points out: "If I keep this up, I will be in the top ten
for sure."
<<<

All Hail Valiant Maid Marion
Written by Kate Battersby for www.wimbledon.org
>>>
If there is a living embodiment of the word "charm" at Wimbledon this
year, then its name is Marion Bartoli. Just one week ago, few on the
Centre Court could have put a name to her face.

Today they called out their love for her, laughing when she conducted
them in a Mexican Wave to pass the time while Venus Williams had her
left thigh strapped by the trainer at courtside. "Come on, Maid
Marion!" called out one wit in the crowd. Bartoli smiled at that one,
but wagged her index finger in mock disapproval when another in the
crowd selected the old joke of calling encouragement to a player not
present on court: "Come on, Tim!"

Yet this was not a crowd turning its back on Venus. Her star is
rising again, and the Centre Court's admiration for her was plain.
How curious that this ungainly, unlikely pair should find themselves
lining up for the Wimbledon final.

When 22-year-old Bartoli lost the first set, no one gave it much of a
thought – by now the magnificent comeback was expected of the
Frenchwoman, after her feats against Justine Henin and Jelena
Jankovic. But this was a match too far for the player who had never
been beyond the fourth round of any Grand Slam tournament before this
one.

Perhaps she was thrown by the unaccustomed experience of actual
warmth from the sun this Wimbledon. Maybe it was the absence of her
Friday inspiration Pierce Brosnan from the Royal Box. The name of the
former James Bond actor appeared on the official guest-list for an
unusual second successive day, but he never appeared. No doubt he was
indeed at a wedding, as he had said he would be. Perhaps she was
fazed by the sheer size of Venus, and the fact that she was giving
away six inches (15cm) in height and reach.

In any case, this time Bartoli could not come back, and a fourth
Wimbledon-title belonged to Venus. In previous years the older
Williams sister has capered about the court in wild celebration at
her moment of victory, arms windmilling. Not today. This was an
older, more reflective Venus, who simply couldn't stop smiling.

"Four!" she called out to her father Richard, holding up four fingers
in celebration of her Wimbledon collection. A few yards away Bartoli
sat on her chair at courtside, smiling no more, and quietly wept.
Sweetly, just before the match began, she told the BBC: "I'm just so
exciting [sic] to be here." Truly, there are few sounds more charming
to the British ear than to hear slightly imperfect English in a
French accent. But in the immediate moments after her defeat, that
earlier excitement was pushed aside. Defeat is bitter, especially on
the greatest stage.

She was emotional in her speech, generously acclaiming Venus as the
best player on grass in the world. Then as her voice shook, she said
she had "one person to thank and one person only – my dad". Dr.
Walter Bartoli, who introduced his daughter to tennis at the age of
six, nodded at her from the players' box, and then covered his eyes
as his loving pride in his daughter overtook him.

The 2007 Official Media Guide to Professional Tennis helpfully tells
us that Bartoli's most memorable tennis-experiences have been winning
the US Open juniors and playing Lindsay Davenport on the Arthur Ashe
Stadium. Possibly she might want to list a new most memorable
experience in next year's guide.

Of course, the day belonged to Venus. She, too, was big-hearted to
her opponent, praising Bartoli's astonishing achievement in reaching
the final. As ever she thanked her "team" in the relatives' box – her
mother, father, and of course Serena "who inspires me – I want to be
like her". There may be a lot wrong with modern sport, but we can't
quite be facing Armageddon when sport's highest achievers make it
plain that family is at the root of all triumph.
<<<

Venus Takes The Fourth
By Tennis Week <http://www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/>
>>>
The Centre Court roof was removed as part of part of Wimbledon's
remodelling, but by the end of today's women's final it was tennis'
top interior designer who transformed tennis' most treasured
landscape into a regal setting for her stunning self-reclamation
project.

Empowered by the strong sense of self-belief that was as evident in
her eyes as the sweat that poured from her pores, 23rd-seeded Venus
Williams resurrected her career as a Grand-Slam champion by
reclaiming the Wimbledon-championship for the fourth time with
today's 6-4 6-1 victory over France's Marion Bartoli.

Untouchable on serve for much of the match, the lowest-seeded woman
to win Wimbledon in history continued a remarkable rise to her first
career Grand-Slam championship with a spontaneous ascent. When
Williams unloaded a 124mph missile down the middle to conclude the 90-
minute match, she soared in the sky and landed on the most
prestigious patch of grass in the sport wearing a wide smile of a
winner.

Then Williams embraced the famed Rosewater Dish with the heart-felt
hug of a woman reunited with a long-lost family heirloom.

"It's so exciting we've done so well here the last eight years," said
Williams, who ruled Wimbledon in 2000, 2001 and 2004. "Each time is
more special than the other, and this time was more special. I was
the lowest seed and no one expected me to win, of course, but I
always expect to do very, very well, so it's so exciting."

On the 50th anniversary of Althea Gibson's historic triumph as the
first African-American to win Wimbledon, Venus returned the Rosewater
Dish to the Williams-sisters' trophy-collection. The sisters who
learned to play on the cracked public courts of Compton, California,
own the film-rights to Gibson's life-story, and have scripted
memorable Grand-Slam stories in combining to collect two of the three
majors this season. Venus and Serena, who started the season with an
audacious run to the Australian-Open championship, have collected 14
Grand-Slam singles-championships between them, including six of the
last eight Wimbledon-titles.

The 27-year-old Venus joins Martina Navrátilová and Billie-Jean King -
  who were both in the Royal Box watching the final - and Steffi Graf
as the fourth woman in Open-Era history to win four Wimbledon-crowns.

"[Althea Gibson] was a beautiful person, and she achieved so much, so
people like Althea Gibson and Billie-Jean King made such a difference
in me being here, doing what I do," Williams said.

It was a remarkable run to the title for a woman largely written off
as a legitimate title-contender. Williams, who had not reached a
major final since she saved match-point to defeat Lindsay Davenport 4-
6 7-6(4) 9-7 victory in a thrilling 2005 Wimbledon final, teetered on
the edge of elimination in both the first and third rounds of this
fortnight.

Playing with grit, while trying to find consistency on her forehand
and second serve, she gutted out a 2-6 6-3 7-5 win over Alla
Kudryavtseva in the opening round. Three points from elimination in
the third round, Williams roared back to win the final four games to
fight off Akiko Morigami, 6-2 3-6 7-5.

Her strong self-determination carried her through those matches until
she found the range and rhythm on her serve and strokes in the second
week. Then, she blistered three of the biggest hitters of the game in
succession: second-seeded Maria Sharapova, fifth-seeded Svetlana
Kuznetsova and sixth-seeded Ana Ivanovic.

"Determination [was the key]," Williams said. "I was determined. It's
something that kicks in, and I was so glad it kicked in. That's what
makes winning it so special: One day you're on the brink, and then
there you are holding the plate."

Grass accelerates the pace and accentuates Williams' assets: her
athleticism, power and ability to punctuate points with winners from
almost anywhere on the court. From 4-4 in the opening set, Williams
imposed her game on the smaller Bartoli in winning five straight
games to blow open the match.

"Venus play some unbelievable tennis. I mean, she reached some balls
like I never see one person reach some ball like that on a tennis-
court, and she would even hit it harder back to me," Bartoli
said. "She served 120 miles on first serve. Sometimes was hurting my
wrist so bad, because the ball was coming so fast to me. So I really
try my best I think, and I play a great match, but at the end she was
just too good. I can't say a player can beat her when she play like
this on grass. I mean, it's not possible to beat her. She's just too
good, you know."

The 18th-seeded Bartoli won eight of the last nine games to shock
World No. 1 Justine Henin in Friday's semi-finals and spoil the
prospect of a Wimbledon-final rematch between Williams and the woman
she beat to win her second Wimbledon-title in 2001.

At first glance, the 5-foot-6 Frenchwoman with hair that flows beyond
her shoulderblades looks as intimidating as your local librarian, and
until this year, her track-record at majors was largely a story of
futility. Bartoli had not surpassed the third round of a Grand-Slam
tournament in her first 21 major-appearances, but she reached the
round of 16 at last month's French Open, where she was blown out, 6-1
6-1, by Jelena Jankovic. Shaking that setback off as easily as a
woman shrugging off a stray strand of felt, Bartoli beat the third-
seeded Jankovic the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Continuing her campaign of creeping four feet inside the baseline to
terrorise opponent's serves with her two-handed compact strokes off
both wings, Bartoli haunted Henin with her positioning and probing
returns.

Addressing her attack at Williams' occasionally unstable forehand,
Bartoli battled back from a 0-3 deficit by coaxing Williams into a
double fault and a forehand error to break back for 1-3. Bartoli's
ability to take the ball exceedingly with her two-handed strokes is
reminiscent of her tennis role-model, Monica Seles, and though she
lacks the power of the woman who was also one of the Williams-
sisters' favourite players, she compensates with impeccable timing.
That skill briefly unsettled Williams.

Four feet from the net, she netted a backhand, and when Williams
misfired a backhand wide, Bartoli was back on even terms at 3-3. The
pair both held as the set escalated to 4-4 before Williams - who had
taken a bit off her first serve in an effort to diminish Bartoli's
looks at second serves - began to open up on her biggest weapon.

Unleashing searing serves into the body, Williams held at love for
5-4.

The serve was a key component to Williams' success: she connected on
70% of her first serves, won 77% of her first-serve points, faced two
break-points, and dropped serve only once in the match. In contrast,
Bartoli, who bounces on her toes rather than bouncing the ball before
her toss, landed 63% of her first serves, won 60% of those points,
and was broken four times by the bigger-hitting American.

Grunting with the force of a woman slamming shut a steel door in the
face of a wind-storm, Williams leaned into a backhand and lashed a
crosscourt winner to take a 0/30 advantage. Two points later, Bartoli
double-faulted to hand Williams two set-points. She drew Williams to
net with a short ball, then rifled a backhand pass crosscourt that
eluded Williams' expansive wingspan to save the first set-point.

But Bartoli missed her first serve, and Williams immediately moved
four feet inside the baseline to receive the second, sending a clear
signal through her positioning she was prepared to punish a short
second serve. Williams made good on her threat.

Unloading a vicious backhand return, Williams moved in quickly to
drill a forehand down the line, then cut off the angle of Bartoli's
defensive pass and smacked a swinging backhand volley-winner to
collect the first set with a clenched fist.

Gobbling up vast expanses of grass with each sizeable stride like a
long jumper soaring in mid-flight, Williams began to intimidate with
each step setting up every vicious swing. She swatted an inside-out
forehand winner to open the second set with a hold at 30.

Throughout the first set, Bartoli bounced around the court as if she
launching herself off a springboard embedded in the grass. But the
sheer power and physicality of Williams' play began to take a toll by
the second game. Bartoli hit her fifth double fault to face a break-
point.

Pausing for a moment to catch her breath, Bartoli started the point,
and the ensuing 21-shot slugfest saw Bartoli boldly take the battle
right at Williams as the pair traded biting baseline-blasts before
Williams blinked and missed a forehand wide. Bartoli would save a
second break-point when Williams lifted a forehand return deep, and
eventually earned a game-point, but it would prove to be a brief
reprieve.

At deuce, Williams approached and Bartoli responded with a well-
placed lob that sent the long-limbed American scurrying backward.
Against virtually any other women in the field, the lob would have at
least prolonged the point if not landed as an outright winner, but
lobbing Williams on this point was as easy as trying to transform Big
Ben into a pocket watch. In a sensational display of her athleticism
and explosiveness, Williams soared and snapped off a slick backhand
overhead winner. She drove a backhand down the line to break for 2-0.

Williams, who finished with 29 winners compared to seven for Bartoli,
simply possess more weapons and competed with the self-confidence of
a woman contesting her 12th major-final.

After Williams held for a 3-0 lead, Bartoli called for the trainer to
treat a two-inch blister on her left foot. Revived from the break,
she held at love for 1-3. Successive forehand errors from the first-
time finalist staked Williams to a 30/love lead, but Bartoli
responded with two thoughtful lobs in the next three points to creep
to 40/30. It was then that Williams put her foot down. From a deep
knee-bend, she quickly turned her shoulders and hips, and pounded a
crosscourt forehand winner to hold for 4-1.

"I thought after the first set, she step it up so bad. I mean, she
try to hit as hard as she could, and serve to my body 125 miles,
which against Justine I never had those kind of balls to return,"
Bartoli said. "I still had my chances in the second set, but in the
end she was just too good. But right now, still believe I could make
it. I didn't, but I had some chances to make it."

When Bartoli's forehand volley stuck to the top of the tape like a
yellow magnet to the surface of a refrigerator-door before toppling
back on her side of the net, Williams had two break-points in the
sixth game. But the feisty French player was not done yet. Continuing
to step inside the court, Bartoli provoked three errors from Williams
to take the advantage. She had a clear look at an open expanse of
court, but missed a backhand down the line long. It would be her last
real shot at slowing Williams. Another Bartoli error gave Williams
break-point, and she broke serve with a backhand winner.

Another blistering backhand winner crosscourt brought her to triple
championship-point. There wasn't a trace of nerves in Williams as she
stared down the inviting green expanse of the service-box, and
launched herself into a thunderous 124mph serve down the middle that
sealed her fourth career Wimbledon-championship in stirring style.

Six months after sister Serena - then ranked No. 81 in the world -
dismantled Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final, 6-1 6-2, to
capture her eighth Grand-Slam championship, Venus collected the
family's 14th major-championship as the sisters have combined to win
two of the three Grand-Slam titles this year.

Williams has been counted out as a major title-contender more times
than she cares to count, but continues to discount her critics as if
casting aside a break-point with a service-winner, and shows the
ability to summon her best tennis when it matters most.

Tennis has always been part of Venus' life, but never her sole
purpose in life. Responding to suggestions that her interest in
regaining her place among the game's elite has subsided as she
pursues other interests such as her interior-design business, V Starr
Interiors, Williams has long contended she's committed to her tennis-
career. She competes on her terms, and on a sunny Saturday on Centre
Court, she shed the curtains of doubt surrounding her status, and
once again revived her championship-status on the game's greatest
stage.
<<<

Venus wins fourth Wimbledon title
By Sophie Brown
BBC Sport at Wimbledon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6278796.stm
>>>
Venus Williams clinched her fourth Wimbledon singles title with a 6-4
6-1 victory over 18th seed Marion Bartoli.

After a nervy start, Bartoli, 22, matched Williams in a hard-fought
first set but finally cracked at 4-5 down.

Williams, 27, continued to pile on the pressure and broke again after
an epic opening game to the second set.

And despite needing treatment on a thigh-problem, Williams powered on
to victory and another title to add to those she won in 2000, 2001
and 2005.

"It's so exciting," 23rd seed Williams, whose season has been plagued
by a wrist-injury, told BBC Sport.

"It's been a long road and I've had some tough losses but I brought
it together here."

Bartoli said that she had been overwhelmed by the power of the older
woman.

"In the end, she was just too good," she said.

It was Williams' sixth final while Bartoli had never been beyond the
fourth round of a Grand Slam until her run this year at the All
England Club.

So it was not surprising that the French woman began nervously,
double-faulting on break point to concede her opening service game.

But she worked her way into the match and broke back to 2-3.

Williams kept trying to pressurise her opponent, rushing to the net
at every opportunity, but Bartoli was more than holding her own and
raking winners around the court.

But after holding out to 4-5, the French woman cracked again, double-
faulting twice to give the first set to the American, who had been
the overwhelming pre-match favourite.

The usually placid Williams' relief at coming through the first set
was evident as she pumped her fist after clinching it, and she again
stepped up the pressure at the beginning of the second set, breaking
in a lengthy opening game that proved pivotal.

The Centre Court crowd, always on the side of the underdog and
enjoying the French player's unorthodox style and evident enjoyment
of the whole occasion, tried to rouse Bartoli.

But Williams, who had an injury time-out to have her left thigh
strapped at 3-0 up in the second set, was into her stride and proved
too strong.

She broke again at 4-1 and then served out to take the championship
after exactly one and a half hours on court.
<<<

Williams inspired by early scares
By Sophie Brown
BBC Sport at Wimbledon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6280912.stm
>>>
Venus Williams said her rocky start to this year's Wimbledon helped
her beat Marion Bartoli to win her fourth title.

The American 23rd seed scraped through two of her early matches 7-5
in the final set but found her form in the latter stages of the
tournament.

"The other [titles], I felt like I was playing championship-form from
minute one," said the 27-year-old.

"But here I really had to focus on my game and overcome a lot of
challenges. I'm very tired, but I feel fantastic."

Williams had been a break down in the final set in her first-round
match against Alla Kudryavtseva and also in her third-round tie with
Akiko Morigami, whose style she said was similar to Bartoli's.

She said: "By the time I played Bartoli, I was ready for those short,
flat, low balls. I had already seen that shot.

"Playing Morigami helped me out today."

It was Williams' sixth Grand Slam win and puts her just two behind
younger sister Serena.

"We motivate each other to get more," said Venus.

"When I saw her win in Australia, I just knew I could do it here.
We just love each other and inspire each other like that."

Williams is the first women's champion to benefit from the All
England Club's decision to offer equal prize-money to the male and
female winners and she said that made victory even more special.

"It was the right thing to do," said the 23rd seed, who paid tribute
to equal-rights champion Billie Jean King after her victory on Centre
Court.

"It was just very important for us. We're role-models around the
world."

Bartoli said that Williams' power had been too much for her handle.

"I really tried my best. Venus just played some unbelievable tennis,"
said the 22-year-old.

"She served 120mph on first serve - sometimes it was hurting my
wrists because the ball was coming so fast to me.

"I think I played a great match, but in the end she was just too
good. It's just not possible to beat her when she plays like this on
grass.

"But I think I showed everybody what I was able to do on the tennis-
court."

The French player, who delighted the Centre-Court crowd with her good-
natured display, was tearful at the end of the match, and admitted
she had been desperate to win.

"I wanted this title so bad," said the world number 19.

"For me to win this trophy and hold it in my hand is the best reward
you could ever imagine in tennis. Wimbledon is so special because of
all the tradition.

"I really hate to lose. Of course tomorrow I won't be that
disappointed, because I realise what I have achieved, which is
awesome.

"Right now, because I wanted it so bad, yes, of course I'm
disappointed."
<<<

Game-by-game updates at BBC Sport:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6278974.stm

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Contents
--------

1. Semi-final TV-report: Bartoli v Henin
2. Final-preview: Bartoli v V.Williams
3. Women's Doubles: Quarter-final result

----------------------------------------
1. Semi-final TV-report: Bartoli v Henin (Friday 6th July 2007)
----------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,DF,S] d. JUSTINE HENIN [1], 1-6 7-5 6-1

"The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
[Psalm 118:22]

Just over a year ago, I demoted Marion from my demi-fanship for being
boring. But this tremendous upset was certainly very exciting, so I
hereby reverse my decision! I am a demi-fan of Marion once more, even
though, as a Selesian, this makes the descriptor after her name
rather wide! ;-)

John McEnroe: "I like the way Bartoli plays a lot: she reminds me a
lot of Monica Seles. She takes the ball real early, hits two hands
off of both sides. She's stepping in as far as the Williams-sisters
when /they/ return serve! She's really looking to intimidate. She's
got great hands. But still, that has got to be ranked maybe #1 in
upsets of all upsets that she's in the final here."


My summary of the match
-----------------------

IMO, this is the third-biggest upset in Wimbledon-history, as Henin
was in the form of her life having won the French Open and Eastbourne
with a series of humiliating scorelines (including Marion at
Eastbourne), and her bid to win the only Grand-Slam title to have
eluded her looked unstoppable. Indeed, Henin had not lost before the
final of any Grand Slam she had played since the US Open 2005.

The #2 upset in Wimbledon-history was Monica's shock-defeat by
Katarína Studeníková in the second round of Wimbledon 1996, and the
#1 upset was Jelena Dokic's stunning 6-2 6-0 win over top seed
Martina Hingis in the first round of Wimbledon 1999!

Marion's tactics included frequent trips to the net. In the first
set, Henin paid Marion's toenails expert attention with a series of
dipping passes that forced her into error.

Henin was twice a break up in the second set (*1-0 and *4-3), but
some uncharacteristic unforced errors crept into her game, Marion
outmanoeuvred her with some great spreading rallies, and Marion
enjoyed much more success at the net.

In the third set, Henin seemed really flat. Marion at *2-0 came
through a marathon service-game of five deuces and two break-points,
and Henin's legendary ability to come back in matches did not save
her from Marion's 5-0* lead, as Marion held her nerve to serve out
the match to love at *5-1.


Marion's BBC interview from yesterday
-------------------------------------

"It's very important for me. I started to play good here a few years
ago, so reaching the semi-final is a big achievement for me.

"I need at least ten hours' sleep. Once, I slept 18 hours in a row, I
swear!

"My father told me: never, ever be a doctor, because it takes all
your time!

"I was inspired by Monica Seles in the French Open 1992 final. I
wasn't powerful enough to hit a one-handed forehand. Thank you to
Monica!"

[Re. her cocked wrist while serving]
"My wrist has to be very flexible, otherwise my serve is not quick
enough to have a high speed.

"I'm under tremendous pressure in the French Open, because I'm
French, and I was the last one in the draw. At Wimbledon I don't feel
as much pressure."


Interviews coming onto court
----------------------------

Henin: "It never changes. It's a Grand Slam semi-final, so there's a
lot of tension. It's another situation: we have to start again, so
I'll have to play my best to win."

Marion: "I'm feeling pretty good right now. I hope it will continue
like this, and I'll try to play my best today, and take my pleasure
to play on this court."

Sue Barker said Marion looked pretty nervous walking onto Centre
Court for the first time in her life, whereas for Henin it's a
familiar walk.


First set
---------
BARTO ___*___ 1
HENIN *@* *@* 6

The match was switched to Centre Court after the first men's quarter-
final on Court One went to five sets. The match started at 17:11 BST.

Henin serving 0-0: Marion forehand just wide. 15/0. Marion netted a
forehand return. 30/0. Ace out wide, on the sideline. 40/0. Henin
came to the net behind a sliced backhand, but it was just long.
40/15. Marion netted a forehand return.

Barry Davies is already talking about Henin like she's through to the
final. :-|| But he did praise Marion's "long, attractive hair".

Marion serving 0-1: Marion backhand wide. 0/15. Henin hit a clever
forehand winner down the line behind Marion - waited for her to cover
the crosscourt before she hit it. 0/30. Marion forehand long.
0/40 (3 BPs). Henin played a good spreading rally, culminating with a
forehand down the line + crosscourt forehand winner.

Tracy Austin: "The longer the point goes, the more advantage Henin
has. She's a much better athlete and mover than Bartoli."

Henin serving 2-0: Marion backhand winner down the line. 0/15.
Service-winner down the middle. 15/15. Henin hit a sliced backhand
into the bottom of the net, off a flat, low-bouncing return from
Marion. 15/30. Service-winner down the middle. 30/30. Marion netted a
forehand return. 40/30. Marion netted a backhand.

Tracy Austin: "Totally overmatched and overwhelmed so far. She uses
the same grip for both forehand and backhand: doesn't exchange hands,
and that restricts her reach."

Marion serving 0-3: Marion came to the net and hit a backhand drive-
volley winner. 15/0. Marion went for a backhand winner down the line
off a low, wide, crosscourt backhand pass from Henin, but it was
wide. 15/15. Henin forehand just wide. 30/15. Marion came to the net,
but netted a backhand volley off an awkward low, dipping pass from
Henin. 30/30. Marion played a good spreading rally: her crosscourt
backhand, just inside the sideline, forced Henin to hit a backhand
lob long. 40/30. Service-winner down the middle.

Henin serving 3-1: Henin ripped a crosscourt backhand winner behind
Marion. 15/0. Henin sliced backhand winner down the line, on the
sideline. 30/0. Marion forehand return-winner down the line - short
backswing, took it early, robbed Henin of time. 30/15. Marion
standing way in to receive, and Henin hit her second serve long for a
double fault! But Tracy Austin didn't appreciate Marion's receiving-
position - she just blamed the wind. 30/30. Marion forehand long.
40/30. Marion netted a forehand to provoke the first "allez" from
Henin.

Marion serving 1-4: Serve & volley: Marion crosscourt backhand volley-
winner. 15/0. Henin framed a backhand lob-return wide. 30/0. Marion
netted a backhand. 30/15. Marion backhand just long. She used up a
challenge to have Hawkeye show that it was long by just a few
millimetres. 30/30. Henin crosscourt backhand winner. 30/40 (BP).
Henin crosscourt forehand winner just inside the sideline + "allez".

Henin serving 5-1: Henin hit a low-bouncing backhand winner down the
line. 15/0. Serve + off-forehand winner. 30/0. Service-winner. 40/0
(3 SPs). Marion forehand return just wide.
Henin won the first set 6-1 at 17:33 (22m).

Tracy Austin: "She's going to have to play the match of her life, at
high-risk level, to try to even bother Henin."


Second set
----------
BARTO _@*@___@* *@ 7
HENIN @___@*@__*__ 5

Marion serving 0-0 (new balls): Marion netted a backhand on the third
stroke. 0/15. Marion came to the net and hit a high backhand volley-
winner off a volley from Henin! 15/15. Marion backhand just wide.
15/30. Henin netted a running crosscourt forehand. 30/30. Henin
crosscourt forehand winner just inside the sideline. 30/40. Marion
came to the net, but Henin ripped a backhand pass-winner down the
line, and said "allez".

Tracy Austin said that Marion's unorthodoxy also extends to her
training-sessions: when she's on the treadmill, she sets the slope
extremely high.

Marion may not look very fit, but she does train extremely hard: 4 or
5 hours a day. Her father advised her to bulk up so that she gets
more weight behind her shots.

Henin serving 1-0: Henin netted an unforced backhand after a long
rally. 0/15. Henin spread Marion with a crosscourt backhand +
crosscourt forehand volley-winner. 15/15. Marion showed good footwork
to hit a crosscourt forehand that induced Henin to net a forehand.
15/30. Henin snatched at a forehand, hitting it into the net.
15/40 (2 BPs). Marion netted a defensive forehand lob. 30/40. Henin
crosscourt forehand volley-winner. 40/40. A fabulous rally with them
both at the net, exchanging several volleys, ended with Marion
hitting a crosscourt forehand volley-winner!! Even the umpire's voice
raised in pitch when she pronounced Marion's surname in announcing
the next score: Advantage Miss Bartoli (BP #3). Henin forehand long -
Marion breaks back!

Marion serving 1-1: Henin netted a backhand volley. 15/0. Henin
backhand wide. 30/0. Marion netted a one-handed forehand volley.
30/15. Marion crosscourt forehand virtual winner. 40/15. Henin netted
a forehand.

Henin serving 1-2: Henin netted a forehand return - leaning back on
her heels. 0/15. Another deep shot from Marion pushed Henin back on
her heels; Marion off-backhand winner down the line. 0/30. Henin
played a good spreading rally at the net, finishing with a high
forehand volley-winner. 15/30. Marion off-backhand winner just inside
the sideline. 15/40 (2 BPs). Marion netted a cheap forehand return.
30/40. And again. 40/40. Ace out wide, on the sideline + "allez".
Ad Henin. She netted a forehand. Deuce #2. Henin sprayed a forehand
wide. Ad Marion (BP #3). Henin sprayed a crosscourt forehand wide.

Two breaks in a row, and Henin is making some uncharacteristic
unforced errors now! Tracy Austin suggested that she "took her foot
off the accelerator" because she's playing an opponent ranked #17 in
the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, and won the first set so easily.

Marion serving 3-1: Service-winner: forehand return long. 15/0. And
again! 30/0. A good rally ended with Henin hitting a rather impudent
forehand dropshot-winner from behind the baseline. 40/0. Marion hit a
blistering crosscourt backhand winner. 40/15. Marion came to the net
behind a woefully short approach, giving Henin an easy backhand pass-
winner down the line. 40/30. Marion backhand long. 40/40. Henin
exposed Marion's lack of mobility with a slow forehand winner down
the line. Ad Henin (BP). Marion moved the wrong way just as Henin hit
another forehand winner down the line to break back.

Henin serving 2-3: Marion hit an amazing crosscourt forehand drive-
volley winner from no-man's-land!! 0/15. Service-winner + "allez".
15/15. Marion stretched netted a backhand off a short ball from
Henin. 30/15. Henin netted a backhand. 30/30. Henin crosscourt
backhand volley-winner with them both at the net (Henin's dropshot).
40/30. Henin crosscourt backhand winner + "allez".

Marion serving 3-3: Henin netted a backhand. 15/0. Henin hit a
leaping high forehand volley-winner. 15/15. Henin drew Marion to the
net with a dropshot, and hit a lob which made Marion run back and hit
an uncontrollable backhand wide. 15/30. With Henin at the net, Marion
hit a backhand lob just wide, and used up a challenge "more in hope
than expectation" [Barry Davies]. 15/40 (2 BPs). Henin crosscourt
backhand winner behind Marion + "allez".

Henin serving 4-3: Marion netted a backhand. 15/0. Henin netted a
forehand. 15/15. Henin blasted a wild forehand wide. 15/30. Marion
backhand wide. 30/30. Henin sprayed another wild forehand wide.
30/40 (BP). Marion tapped a sharp crosscourt forehand winner just
inside the sideline, and shouted "c'mon!"

Tracy Austin: "Excellent game by Bartoli: absorbing the pace, staying
down low with her knees. Monica Seles used to get down that low."

Marion serving 4-4: Henin netted a forehand. 15/0. Henin netted a
forehand after a good spreading rally from Marion. Barry Davies:
"Look who's doing all the running!" 30/0. Serve out wide + crosscourt
backhand winner. 40/0. Henin forehand return-winner just inside the
baseline to Marion's right. 40/15. Henin netted a forehand.

Henin serving 4-5: Marion came to the net on a poor dropshot from
Henin, forcing Henin to net a backhand. 0/15. Marion, now grunting
loudlier, hit a pinpoint backhand winner down the line, just inside
the sideline! 0/30. Henin forced a short ball from Marion, and
dispatched it with a forehand winner down the line. 15/30. Service-
winner down the middle + "allez!" 30/30. Henin dominated the rally
and came to the net, forcing Marion to hit a forehand lob wide.
40/30. Henin forehand return just long. Tracy Austin: "Bartoli really
pressuring Henin on return of serve. Very intense." 40/40. Henin hit
a superbly controlled angled crosscourt forehand winner onto the
sideline, and shouted "allez!" Ad Henin. She hit an off-forehand
winner.

Marion serving 5-5: Double fault #1 (second serve into the net).
0/15. A long rally ended with Henin hitting a forehand winner down
the line and screaming "allez!" 0/30. Service-winner out wide. 15/30.
Henin crosscourt forehand winner onto the baseline. 15/40 (2 BPs).
Marion blasted a huge crosscourt backhand, forcing Henin at full
stretch to hit a backhand lob wide. 30/40. Henin backhand long.
40/40. Service-winner. Ad Marion. Her backhand down the line on the
third stroke barely bounced at all, forcing Henin to earth a forehand.

Henin serving 5-6: Henin netted a forehand. 0/15. Henin sprayed a
wild backhand very wide. 0/30. Double fault (second serve just long).
0/40 (3 SPs). Marion hit an off-backhand volley-winner, and screamed
in celebration! Marion won the second set 7-5 at 18:30 (57m).


Third set
---------
BARTO *@*@* * 6
HENIN _____*_ 1

Marion serving 0-0: Henin forehand long. 15/0. Second serve at 81mph:
Henin forehand return-winner to Marion's right. 15/15. Marion netted
a forehand return. 15/30. Marion came to the net, but a testing
forehand pass down the line forced her to net a backhand volley.
15/40 (2 BPs). Henin came to the net, but Marion hit a nice backhand
pass-winner down the line. 30/40. Henin netted a backhand. 40/40.
Marion gave Henin the run around, and though she seemed to recover,
Henin hit a forehand long. Ad Marion. Henin backhand return just long.

Tracy Austin: "This truly would be a complete shocker. She is playing
out of her mind. I've seen her play many times before, but never at
this level. She is in the zone."

Henin serving 0-1: Marion played a great spreading rally... until she
netted a forehand. 15/0. Service-winner. 30/0. Marion's forehand
return down the line hit the sideline with a puff of titanium pigment
for a winner! 30/15. Henin netted a forehand. 30/30. Marion played a
great rally at the net, finishing with a two-handed backhand volley-
winner! 30/40 (BP). Marion broke with a screaming backhand winner
down the line! She yelled and pumped her fist.

Four games in a row to Marion! I'm getting very excited!

Marion serving 2-0: Serve + crosscourt backhand netcord winner. 15/0.
Henin hit a short-angled crosscourt forehand winner. 15/15. Henin
came to the net, but Marion hit a backhand pass-winner down the line!
30/15. Marion came to the net, hit a crosscourt two-handed forehand
volley-winner, and squealed with delight! 40/15. Henin came to the
net and hit a forehand smash-winner. 40/30. Marion hit a crosscourt
backhand winner onto the sideline, but it was just wide (Marion used
up a challenge). 40/40. Henin sprayed a forehand wide. Ad Marion. She
sprayed a backhand wide, off a low ball from Henin. Deuce #2. A great
rally with sliced backhands from Henin ended with Marion at the net,
hitting a low backhand volley just long. Ad Henin (BP). She netted a
backhand. Deuce #3. A deep approach from Henin induced Marion to
blast a backhand into the net with little control. Ad Henin (BP #2).
A fantastic rally ended with Henin netting a backhand dropshot off
one from Marion. Deuce #4. Ad Marion. She sprayed a backhand wide.
Deuce #5. Serve + crosscourt backhand virtual winner into the corner.
Ad Marion. Henin sprayed a forehand wide.

Henin serving 0-3: Henin netted a tame forehand. 0/15. Henin hit a
forehand dropshot-winner into the wind: it landed very short. 15/15.
Henin forehand just long. 15/30. Henin dominated the rally but netted
a forehand, and Barry Davies accused her of rushing. 15/40 (2 BPs).
Henin backhand just wide.

Marion serving 4-0: Henin backhand lob long. 15/0. Marion wrong-
footed Henin and hit a backhand dropshot-winner. Barry Davies: "What
confidence, what impudence, what charm!" 30/0. Serve out wide + off-
forehand winner. 40/0. A weak backhand lob from Marion gave Henin an
easy backhand smash-winner. 40/15. Henin hit a pinpoint crosscourt
backhand winner onto the sideline. 40/30. Henin backhand wide.

Barry Davies: "Either way, the Centre Court will see a sensation:
either the upset of the championship, or one of the greatest
comebacks of all time."

Seven games in a row to Marion!!!

Henin serving 0-5: Marion netted a down-the-line backhand. 15/0.
Marion hit an amazing crosscourt backhand drive-volley winner. 15/15.
Henin forehand dropshot virtual winner. 30/15. Marion netted a
forehand. Is she about to choke? 40/15. Marion netted a tame forehand
return.

Marion serving 5-1: Marion off-forehand winner behind Henin. She
pumped her fist. 15/0. Henin sprayed a backhand wide off a deep ball
just inside the baseline from Marion. 30/0. First serve out wide:
Henin forehand return wide. 40/0 (3 MPs). Henin forehand return just
long. Marion won 1-6 7-5 6-1 at 19:06!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(third set 36m, match 1h55m).

Barry Davies: "She came here anonymous. She walks off the court
famous."


Marion's BBC interview
----------------------

"I didn't start well. I lost the first set easily - so stressful. But
then I saw in the crowd Pierce Brosnan - one of my favourite actors -
and I thought it was maybe good to play a little bit tennis, and to
see him how I was playing. So I tried to play a little better...
<inaudible: "in the final hour"? "after finding out"?>

"It was very hard, very windy; my game wasn't on at all. So I tried
to just focus on the ball, and forget where I was playing and whom I
was playing.

"I'm so excited to be in the final - it's like a dream come true. If
you had told me beforehand, I wouldn't trust you.

"I hope so [that Pierce Brosnan will attend the final]. He gave me
some legs, so maybe Pierce, if you can come back tomorrow, I can be
gooder!"


John Inverdale: "Maybe Pierce Brosnan could make a tennis-movie: You
Only Serve Twice!"


Henin's BBC interview
---------------------

According to John Inverdale, Henin was in floods of tears after the
match, and she seemed really dejected in her interview, though she
was gracious in defeat:

"Yeah, it's still pretty early to really understand what happened in
the match. I had control in the first set, and then the match
completely turned. It's pretty difficult to accept now, but that's
the way it happened.

"She played an unbelievable tennis; she played a very, very good
match. I didn't keep up the pressure on her enough in the second set,
didn't take my chances. In the third, she moved me a lot, I wasn't
fresh enough, and she took the opportunities much more than me, so
she really deserved to win that match."


Articles
--------

BARTOLI STUNS HENIN TO MAKE FINAL [CEEFAX 490->491]
>>>
Bartoli stuns Henin to make final [CEEFAX 491]

Marion Bartoli caused one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history
as she defeated world number one Justine Henin in the semi-finals.

The world number 19 will face Venus Williams in Saturday's final
after a sensational 1-6 7-5 6-1 win.

Henin raced through the first set in 22 minutes, but the big-hitting
Bartoli got the better of a second set featuring seven breaks of
serve.

And the Frenchwoman hit stunning form in the third as Henin crumbled.
<<<

Bond actor inspires Bartoli win [CEEFAX 490->491]
>>>
Marion Bartoli said seeing former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan in
the crowd had inspired her to a stunning semi-final win over Justine
Henin.

"I can't believe it. I'm so excited," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport
after her 1-6 7-5 6-1 win.

"I didn't start well. It was so stressful being on Centre Court for
the first time.

"But then I saw Pierce Brosnan in the crowd, and he's one of my
favourite actors so I tried to play better."


Henin bewildered by shock defeat [CEEFAX 491]

Justine Henin struggled to explain her defeat by Marion Bartoli in
the Wimbledon semi-finals.

"I still don't understand what happened," she said after losing
6-1 5-7 1-6 to the world number 19.

"I played a good first set, then had a couple of chances in the
second, and the match turned. It's pretty hard to take.

"I lost a lot of energy recently, winning the French Open, and then
my quarter-final against Serena was tiring emotionally. I wasn't at
my best."
<<<

BARTOLI STUNS HENIN IN SEMI TRIUMPH [Teletext 495->496]
>>>
Bartoli in stunning win [Teletext 496]

Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli played the match of her life to beat top
seed Justine Henin and reach the final.

The 22-year-old 18th seed, who has never previously gone beyond the
fourth round of a Grand Slam, began nervously as Henin seemed in
complete control.

But she grew in confidence during a topsy-turvy second set, then
powered through the decider to win 1-6 7-5 6-1 and set up a final
with Venus Williams.


Bond the key for Bartoli [Teletext 496]

James Bond came to the rescue of Marion Bartoli as she caused one of
the great shocks in Wimbledon history by beating Justine Henin to
reach the final.

The Frenchwoman will play Venus Williams, with the victor guaranteed
to be the lowest-ranked winner.

Bartoli said: "I saw Pierce Brosnan, one of my favourite actors, so I
tried to play better. I tried to forget against whom I was playing."
<<<

Henin shocked by Bartoli in semi-final
By Pritha Sarkar (Reuters)
>>>
A little-known Frenchwoman destroyed world number one Justine Henin's
Wimbledon-dream on Friday.

Marion Bartoli produced the tennis of her life to humble a shell-
shocked Henin 1-6 7-5 6-1 and march into her first Grand-Slam final
against Venus Williams.

As Bartoli sealed the Belgian's fate and lapped up the applause from
13,000 cheering fans, a forlorn Henin had to cope with her earliest
exit from a Grand Slam since 2005.

The result was the biggest upset in the sport since Jelena Dokic
defeated then world number one Martina Hingis in the first round at
Wimbledon in 1999.

When Henin arrived at the All England Club, her run to the final had
almost been a foregone conclusion, with the real race being to see
who would face her in the showpiece-match on Saturday.

But a player who had won only four matches at Wimbledon before this
year dashed Henin's hopes of winning the only Grand-Slam trophy
missing from her collection.
<<<

Bartoli fightback stuns Henin, impresses 007
By Martyn Herman (Reuters)
>>>
Marion Bartoli stunned top seed Justine Henin to reach the Wimbledon-
final on Friday, beating the world number one 1-6 7-5 6-1.

The 22-year-old Frenchwoman, seeded 18th, produced an action-packed
display after a torrid first set to book a Saturday showdown with
three-times former champion Venus Williams.

"I'm so excited to be in the final, it's a dream come true," Bartoli
said after completing the biggest victory of her career in front of a
her favourite actor, former 007 Pierce Brosnan.

"It was my first match on Centre Court and I was stressed. I saw him
in the crowd and I thought it's not possible to play so bad in front
of him.

"I was focusing on him because he is so beautiful. I saw him cheering
and kept going and I won."

Henin, chasing the only Grand-Slam title to elude her, looked
unstoppable during a 22-minute first set, swishing away baseline-
winners at will, but was left dazed later as an inspired Bartoli went
on a seven-game hot streak.

"I still don't really know what did happen. I don't understand what
happened," a glum-looking Henin said.

"Today it was like she could close her eyes and play unbelievable
tennis."

The unorthodox Bartoli, whose previous best run at a Grand Slam was
the fourth round at this year's French Open, suddenly relaxed and
began striking the ball with real confidence.

She broke for a 3-1 lead, only for Henin to quickly snuff out the
danger. Henin then seemed set to regain control when a rolled
backhand gave her another break to lead 4-3.

Bartoli responded in the next game with a pummelled backhand winner
to make it 4-4. Henin squandered two break-points at 5-5, and was
made to pay when she lost her serve to love, Bartoli thrashing away a
volley to level the match.

Fired up and clearly revelling in the atmosphere, Bartoli's tennis
reached near perfection for the next five games as she pulled Henin
all over the court.

Banging double-fisted drives off both sides into the corners,
crafting clever angles and delicate drop shots, she gave Henin the
run around to lead 5-0.

Henin managed to stop the rot by holding serve, but Bartoli showed no
nerves to close out the match on her first match-point when a shell-
shocked Henin hit long.
<<<

Henin toppled
By Phil Casey, Special to PA SportsTicker
>>>
"I still don't really realise what did happen," Henin said. "I played
a very good first set, then I had a couple of chances at the end of
the second set. Didn't take these chances and the match completely
turned over."

Recovering from a set and a break down, Bartoli extended Henin's
elusive search for a title at the All England Club, and ended her bid
for a career Grand Slam.

"I'm not quite sure it's a question of pressure about winning here,"
Henin said. "You know, I lost a lot of energy in the last few weeks.
My match against Serena [Williams] also has been very tough mentally,
emotionally. It was hard for me to be at my best today.

"I'll have other chances in the future. I don't make it an obsession.
I'm disappointed because I lost a Grand-Slam semi-final. It's been
normal to have these feelings now."

Few had given the Frenchwoman any chance of victory, and a routine
win looked in the cards for Henin when she raced through the first
set in 22 minutes with the loss of just one game.

But Bartoli, who had won just four matches in four previous visits to
Wimbledon, staged an amazing comeback to add to her unlikely win over
No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round on Tuesday.

"Well, you know, for the moment, I don't realise really what I'm
doing right now in this tournament," Bartoli said. "If you think [I
would] beat the No. 1 in the world, [on] Centre Court, then [reach]
the final of a Grand Slam, especially Wimbledon, I couldn't believe
you."

Henin had quickly taken command of the match, breaking Bartoli to
love in the second game of a match switched from Court One to Centre
Court due to the five-hour epic between Novak Đokovic and Marcos
Baghdatis.

Bartoli, the most unlikely semi-finalist since Croatian Mirjana Lucic
and American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson reached the last four in
1999, got on the board by holding serve in the fourth game, but Henin
was simply a class apart.

A second break of serve was created with the aid of a trademark
backhand winner, and Henin served out to take the set 6-1 in just 22
minutes.

"The first set I was quite nervous," the Frenchwoman
said. "Especially [since] the wind disturb my game. I was not feeling
the ball good at all. I was not hitting in the good rhythm. So I
tried to just forget against whom I was playing and where I was
playing, and just try to play my game the best as possible, just try
to forget this first set."

Henin had won both previous meetings between the pair, including a
6-1 6-3 victory in the semi-finals at Eastbourne last month.

A similar scoreline always looked the most likely outcome, especially
when Henin broke serve again in the opening game of the second set.

To Bartoli's credit she broke straight back, creating a third break-
point with the rally of the match as the players traded reaction-
volleys from close quarters at the net.

Henin was so impressed she sportingly applauded her opponent, but her
mood quickly changed as she dropped her serve again in the fourth
game to fall 3-1 behind.

Just as Roger Federer had responded to losing his first set of the
championships to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the men's quarter-finals on
Friday, Henin suddenly raised her game several notches, winning the
next three games in a row by breaking Bartoli twice.

That looked like being the decisive moment, but Bartoli had clearly
not read the script.

The 22-year-old broke back immediately, and once more to love in the
12th game to snatch the set 7-5 and give herself a chance of creating
a massive upset.

"I got to the end of the second set and I was playing very good,"
Bartoli said. "I [also] started very good in the third set."

Bartoli was producing some inspired tennis in the late-evening
sunshine, saving two break-points at the start of the decider, and
firing a brilliant backhand winner down the line to break for a 2-0
lead.

Ranked 19th in the world, Bartoli then saved two more break-points to
make it 3-0 and then, barely believably, won the next two games as
well as Henin could find no answer to her probing groundstrokes.

"I didn't feel fresh enough in the third set to compete with her,"
Henin said. "She played very good tennis. So, yeah, it's pretty hard
right now, but [I am] going to be better in a few days."

Henin held serve to finally get on the scoreboard and at least test
Bartoli's nerves as she tried to serve for the match.
<<<

The name's Bartoli, Marion Bartoli...
By Phil Casey, Special to PA SportsTicker
>>>
Marion Bartoli admitted it was a dream come true after causing one of
the greatest upsets in Wimbledon history by beating top seed Justine
Henin in the semi-finals on Friday.

Bartoli, 22, recovered from a set and a break down to stun Henin on
Centre Court, ending the world No. 1's bid for a career Grand Slam.

Few had given the 18th seed any chance of victory, and a routine win
looked in the cards when Henin raced through the first set in just 22
minutes.

But Bartoli, who had won just four matches in four previous visits to
the All England Club, staged an amazing comeback to record a 1-6 7-5
6-1 victory to set up a match-up with three-time champion Venus
Williams in Saturday's final.

Bartoli then bizarrely credited her victory to seeing former James
Bond actor Pierce Brosnan in the Royal Box.

"It was very hard, my game was not on at all in the first set,"
Bartoli said. "Then I saw Pierce Brosnan, he is one of my favourite
actors, so I thought it would be good to play a bit of tennis.

"I said to myself, it's not possible I play so bad in front of him.
I saw he was cheering for me. I was focusing on him because he is so
beautiful. I tried to play a little better, and here I am!

Despite being awestruck, Bartoli was able to regain her focus and
accomplish something she would not have thought possible.

"I tried to focus on the ball and forget whom I was playing and where
I was playing," she said. "I'm so excited to be in the final - it's
like a dream come true. If you told me that before the tournament, I
would not have trusted you."

Nor would most other sane people, but reaching the semi-finals of
grasscourt tournaments in Birmingham and Eastbourne - where she
ironically lost 6-1 6-3 to Henin - gave some indication of her
abilities.

"For the moment, I don't realise really what I'm doing right now in
this tournament," admitted the Frenchwoman, who was watched by her
coach and father, Dr. Walter Bartoli.

"Last week, when I saw the draw, I was worried about my first-round
match against Flavia Pennetta, and now I'm in the final! If you think
about beating the No. 1 in the world, [on] Centre Court, almost full,
then [reach] the final of a Grand Slam, especially Wimbledon; if you
had told me that before, I wouldn't have believed you."

Bartoli was not the only one to think the result was unbelievable.

"I still don't really realise what happened," Henin said. "I played a
very good first set, then I had a couple of chances at the end of the
second set, didn't take these chances, and the match completely
turned over.

"She's playing an unbelievable tournament. She was confident.
She was never scared of winning the match or anything. She took the
opportunities."

Despite reaching the semi-finals five times at the All England Club,
Henin once again left empty-handed, remaining one title shy of the
career Grand Slam.

"I'm not quite sure it's a question of pressure about winning here,"
the Belgian said. "I lost a lot of energy in the last few weeks.
I played a lot. My match against Serena [Williams] was also very
tough mentally, emotionally.

"It was hard for me to be at my best today. It's the kind of thing
that can happen - but I'll have other chances in the future."
<<<

Gasquet and Bartoli show French flair at its best
By Rex Gowar (Reuters)
>>>
The French, set to thrill England with their renowned Tour de France
cycling-race this weekend, stormed London a day early with upset-
victories in the men's and women's singles on the Wimbledon tennis-
courts on Friday.

Richard Gasquet, hailed as a prodigy in his home country at 16, upset
Andy Roddick 4-6 4-6 7-6 7-6 8-6 to reach the semi-finals of a Grand-
Slam tournament for the first time at 21.

Even more remarkable was Marion Bartoli's 1-6 7-5 6-1 victory over
world number one Justine Henin to reach the women's final against
Venus Williams on Saturday.

"Of course, I'm really happy for her. For us that's incredible," said
Gasquet, who was two sets down when he began to play sublime tennis,
wielding a backhand that had been hailed since he was a six-year-old
as if it were a magic wand.

Bartoli, seeded 18, said she was inspired by the presence of
favourite actor Pierce Brosnan in the Centre-Court crowd, but that
her success as a player was down to hard work as a young teen in
unorthodox circustances encouraged by her doctor father.

"The indoor courts we had were multi-surface courts: for volleyball,
basketball, tennis. They have multi-lines all over, and my dad used
to set me targets: if I hit the targets, I got candy," the 22-year-
old said.

"On this court, the wall was one metre behind the baseline. If I
stayed on the baseline, my racket touched the wall behind me, so I
had to stay inside the baseline and take the ball as early as
possible and hit the target."

Bartoli will be hoping she can reproduce her performance in the final
against three-times champion Williams.
<<<

Venus Williams reaches 6th Wimbledon final, where she'll face Bartoli
By Howard Fendrich, AP Tennis Writer
>>>
In her sixth Wimbledon final, the 27-year-old American will find a
surprising opponent on the other side of the net on Saturday: Marion
Bartoli of France, who came back from a set and a break down to stun
No. 1 Justine Henin 1-6 7-5 6-1.

Before this year, the lowest-ranked female finalist at the grass-
court Grand Slam was Williams, who was at No. 16 when she won the
2005 championship.

This time, it's No. 31 Williams vs. No. 19 Bartoli.

"I have nothing to lose tomorrow," said Bartoli, who played 21 majors
without ever making it past the third round until reaching the fourth
at the French Open last month. "Venus has been the champion here
already. I will try to figure out the way to play against her."

If Williams can credit her three consecutive lopsided wins over women
ranked No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6 to an edge in experience and a game
built for grass, Bartoli had a more unique reason for her success
against Henin: Bond, James Bond.

Yes, that's right. While falling way behind against six-time Grand
Slam title winner Henin, the Frenchwoman noticed actor Pierce Brosnan
sitting in the stands.

"I said to myself, 'It's not possible I play so bad in front of
him,"' Bartoli said, earnest as can be. "I saw he was cheering for
me, so I said, 'Oh, maybe it's good.' I kept going and I won, maybe a
little bit for Pierce Brosnan."

She began to turn things around after getting broken to trail 4-3 in
the second set. Hitting two-fisted forehands and backhands,
reminiscent of Monica Seles, Bartoli somehow started to put every
ball her racket touched in the right spot.

After failing to muster a single break-point in the first set, she
compiled 10 and converted six the rest of the way. After managing all
of six winners in the first set, she conjured up 21 the rest of the
way. After venturing to the net four times in the first set, she
moved forward 21 times and won 14 of those points the rest of the way.

Bartoli mixed in all sorts of spins and angles, yanking Henin from
corner to corner, forward and back - the type of frustrating stuff
the Belgian normally does.

"It was like she could close her eyes and play unbelievable tennis,"
said Henin, who was hoping to complete a career Grand Slam. "She did
everything perfectly."
<<<

Bartoli rips up the script to reach Wimbledon final
By Martyn Herman (Reuters)
>>>
Marion Bartoli was in dreamland at Wimbledon on Friday after
producing the performance of her life to beat world number one
Justine Henin in the semi-final.

The 22-year-old French number three looked out of her depth initially
on her first Centre Court appearance, but inspired by former 007
actor Pierce Brosnan, she stormed back for an unbelievable
1-6 7-5 6-1 victory.

"I saw him in the crowd and thought it's not possible to play so bad
in front of him," she said. "So maybe this was a bit for Pierce
Brosnan.

"If you think I beat the world number one, Centre Court, almost full,
then I'm in the final of a Grand Slam, especially Wimbledon - if you
tell me that before, I wouldn't believe you."

"But I believe in myself, and on a good day I can beat anybody, and I
proved it today," she added.

The daughter of a doctor who is also her coach, Bartoli is not a
conventional tennis-player.

She does not have the flowing strokes of compatriot Amélie Mauresmo,
last year's champion; instead, she punches the ball with double-
handed backhand and forehand.

She is not very tall either, and her service-action would not be
found in many coaching manuals.

But her flat groundstrokes are extremely effective.

She reached the semi-finals at both the Edgbaston and Eastbourne
grasscourt-tournaments in the run-up to Wimbledon, and dispatched
third seed Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round here.

"LOVE CANDY"

The world number 19, whose previous best Grand-Slam run was the
fourth round at this year's French Open, said her victory was reward
for her father Walter.

"He's a very good doctor, a very good coach, a very good father,"
said Bartoli, who now lives in Switzerland.

"When I was young, we didn't have any indoor courts. We used to
practise on a multi-surface court: it had volleyball and basketball
lines all over the place.

"My dad used to put targets out. If I touched the targets, I would
get some candy. So I was very motivated. That's why I still love
candy."

Explaining her technique, she said the indoor court she used to play
on had a brick wall right behind the baseline, meaning she had to
adapt her strokes.

"The wall was one metre behind the baseline, so I had to take it as
early as possible; I played thousands of shots like that. I learnt my
game on this court."

If she can beat three-times former champion Venus Williams on
Saturday it would be stretching the credibility of even the most
outrageous James Bond scripts.

However, she intends to live another day.

"I've never played Venus, but I've beaten the world number one, so
I've got a lot of confidence," she said. "Even if I lose the first
set, I won't go out. I will try my best to win this match."
<<<

--------------------------------------
2. Final-preview: Bartoli v V.Williams
--------------------------------------

* MARION BARTOLI [18,DF,S] v VENUS WILLIAMS [23]

Marion has never played Venus Williams before, but should start as
favourite, as she is ranked #19 to Williams's #31.

Prior to Wimbledon, Williams was having a pretty mediocre year by her
own stellar standards: she won Tier III Memphis beating Shahar Pe'er
6-1 6-1 in the final, but has since lost to Maria Sharapova, Tatiana
Golovin, Jelena Jankovic (twice) and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

These days, Williams is apt to make a lot of unforced errors, and she
looked very vulnerable prior to the fourth round, struggling past
Alla Kudryavtseva 2-6 6-3 7-5 and Akiko Morigami 6-2 3-6 7-5 - both
on Court 2. Akiko - another Selesian - actually served for the match
against Williams at *5-3 in the third!

But once she was back on her beloved Centre Court, Williams rose to
the occasion to beat Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-3, Svetlana Kuznetsova
6-3 6-4, and Ana Ivanovic 6-2 6-4 to reach the final.

I believe that Marion can win Wimbledon by beating Venus Williams if
she serves well, with plenty of body-jamming serves, keeps a good
length on her groundstrokes, doesn't get pushed back behind the
baseline, is aggressive on second-serve returns, is prepared to deal
with Williams's net-rushing tactics with a ton of passing-shots and
awkward lobs over Williams's left shoulder, and indeed takes the net
away from Williams as she did so effectively against Henin. The signs
against Henin were good, but Williams hits the ball much harder than
Henin does, so we'll have to wait and see just how well Marion's game
will match up against Williams.


Normally in an interview when the player's next opponent is not yet
decided, they are asked to say something about both potential
opponents. So the questions about the final in Williams's press-
conference are quite amusing in retrospect:
* If this had been the case earlier, to play Justine, maybe vengeance
would have been a theme, she having beaten Serena.
* Will you talk to Serena about playing Justine?
* Why do you think you have such a good record against Justine?

Williams at least had the decency to say "if she's in the final" in
her response to the third question!

----------------------------------------
3. Women's Doubles: Quarter-final result (Friday 6th July 2007)
----------------------------------------

- (Peng,Shuai [S]/Yan,Zi [S]) lt. (ALICIA MOLIK/MARA SANTANGELO)[6],
4-6 1-6

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Contents
--------

1. Quarter-final TV-report: Bartoli v Krajícek
2. Women's Doubles: Second-round TV-report: Bartoli/Tu v
Vaidišová/Záhlavová Strýcová
3. Women's Doubles: Third-round result

----------------------------------------------
1. Quarter-final TV-report: Bartoli v Krajícek
(Wednesday 4th July 2007)
----------------------------------------------

Nice winner, nice loser:
+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. MICHAËLLA KRAJÍCEK [31,DF], 3-6 6-3 6-2

A delightful match, and fully deserving of being a Grand-Slam quarter-
final - and of being on a more prestigious court than Two.

Marion may have become the first Selesian ever to reach a Grand-Slam
semi-final (emulating the feat achieved many times by Monica herself,
of course, though just once at Wimbledon, when Monica reached the
final in 1992), but the one who really impressed me was Michaëlla.


Michaëlla Krajícek
------------------

I am a pretty little Dutch girl
As pretty as can be
And all the boys in the neighbourhood
Are crazy over me

I hereby promote Michaëlla to my demi-fanship (my second tier of
favourites, the first tier being my Eternal Fanship).

Although I first saw Michaëlla play at the French Open 2006, and
again at Birmingham 2007 (both first-round losses), she has been a
revelation to me this Wimbledon. She was more impressive in the third
round than her victim Anna Chakvetadze, who is a member of my Eternal
Fanship!

I already knew that Michaëlla serves big and moves great, that she
can play spreading rallies from the baseline, and is also very
willing to come to the net behind her wicked sliced backhand, but her
added value in this match was sharp groundstrokes of flairsome power!

I tuned in at the start of the third set to see Michaëlla hit three
flairsome groundstroke-winners, including a crosscourt backhand
winner onto the sideline just like Karina Habšudová used to do!

Indeed, the match reminded me of my all-time favourite match to
watch: a Wimbledon 2000 first round between Monica Seles and Karina
Habšudová, which was also played on Court 2, and which Monica won in
three sets after dropping the first 3-6.

Michaëlla is also slim, cute and exceptionally pretty, with beautiful
eyelashes. Before she changed her hairstyle from a ponytail to a
short, boyish cut, she was very definitely one of the prettiest girls
in tennis - and, well, once you get used to it and see close-ups on
TV, she still is.

Before the match, my Reason said I should want Marion to win, but as
I watched the third set live, my Passion said Michaëlla.


Marion Bartoli
--------------

I admire Marion for having developed a faithful Selesian game: two-
handed on both sides, with a cross-handed forehand - the major
differences from Monica Seles's groundstrokes are that Marion's are
right-handed, and not as sharp or powerful. But she has a chess-like
ability to work out the rallies, and hit plenty of winners,
particularly crossscourt, and occasionally very fast!

Marion also has a very quirky serve. First, she does a couple of
energy-bounces (or, as Sam Smith calls it, the "Bartoli bop") to
remind herself to use her legs in the serve. Then, she stands with
her feet together, very erect, and holds out her racket as though
preparing for a fencing-duel. She spreads out the fingers of her
plastered right hand, bends her wrist, and very deliberately wraps
those fingers round the bottom of her racket-handle, as though she
has recently learned a new grip. Finally, she goes up on her toes to
hit her serve with that wristy grip. Unorthodox and extremely
effective!

With the sexy María Sánchez Lorenzo having retired at the end of
2006, Marion is my favourite Selesian.


Third set
---------
BARTOLI _* *@*@* 6
KRAJICE * *_____ 2

Michaëlla serving 0-0: Serve + crosscourt forehand winner. 15/0.
Ace #7, out wide. 30/0. Serve + sharp crosscourt forehand winner.
40/0. Michaëlla netted a forehand on the third stroke. 40/15.
Michaëlla pushed a forehand wide off a very short return. 40/30.
Michaëlla hit a crosscourt backhand winner of flairsome power onto
the sideline - a shot reminiscent of Karina Habšudová!

Marion serving 1-0: Michaëlla sliced backhand long. 15/0.
Serve + crosscourt backhand on the sideline forced Michaëlla to hit a
backhand wide. 30/0. Michaëlla hit a deep forehand return onto the
baseline, but hit a forehand long on the fourth stroke. 40/0.
Service-winner out wide.

Michaëlla serving 1-1: Ace out wide. 15/0. Michaëlla finished a
superb rally with an off-forehand volley-winner. 30/0. Service-
winner. 40/0. A superb-angled first serve out wide forced a very
short return, and Michaëlla hit a dropshot-winner.

Marion serving 1-2: Michaëlla came to the net behind a sliced
backhand down the line, but Marion hit a forehand pass-winner down
the line - great point from them both. 15/0. Michaëlla fired a sharp
crosscourt backhand winner just inside the sideline. 15/15. Michaëlla
forehand long. 30/15. Michaëlla ran down a dropshot and netted a
backhand. 40/15. Marion came to the net, forcing Michaëlla to hit a
forehand lob long.

Michaëlla serving 2-2: Service-winner out wide. 15/0. Marion backhand
dead netcord-winner. 15/15. Michaëlla netted a sliced backhand off a
forehand return down the line from Marion that caught the outside
edge of the sideline. 15/30. Serve + forehand winner down the line.
30/30. Marion stood /way/ inside the baseline to receive. Michaëlla
hit a backhand long off a deep ball from Marion, screamed, and burst
into tears! 30/40 (BP). Marion hit a deep, error-forcing backhand
down the line to score the first break of the decider.

Marion serving 3-2: Serve + crosscourt forehand forced Michaëlla to
hit a forehand wide. 15/0. Service-winner out wide. 30/0. Service-
winner out wide. 40/0. Marion went for a backhand down the line, but
it was just long. 40/15. Michaëlla forehand long.

Sam Smith said Michaëlla was playing well enough to win, but hadn't
bargained on how well Marion has served after losing the first set.

Michaëlla serving 2-4: Marion took the initiative with a good one-two
punch, and hit a screaming crosscourt forehand winner on the fifth
stroke, off a short- high ball. 0/15. A deep ball from Marion forced
another short floater from Michaëlla, which Marion dispatched with
another impressive crosscourt backhand winner. 0/30. Service-winner.
Michaëlla shouted something that sounded like the German "komm
jetzt". 15/30. Michaëlla came to the net, but Marion hit a crosscourt
backhand pass-winner. 15/40 (2 BPs). Serve out wide + forehand winner
down the line. 30/40. Michaëlla forced a very short ball from Marion,
and hit a crosscourt forehand winner. 40/40. Ace #9, down the middle,
106mph. Ad Michaëlla. Marion down-the-line backhand return virtual
winner. Deuce #2. Marion hit a dipping crosscourt forehand return at
her feet, forcing her to hit a half-volley wide. Ad Marion (BP).
Michaëlla saved it with a crosscourt forehand winner + forehand smash-
winner. Deuce #3. Michaëlla netted a forehand. Ad Marion (BP #2).
Marion broke with a backhand return-winner down the line.

Sam Smith: "There's a lot of star-quality about Krajícek. She's not
afraid of the big moments in a match."
Andrew Castle: "She's refusing to feel intimidated. But she's being
outmanoeuvred by the cunning and guile of Marion Bartoli, who is
reading all her moves perfectly."

Marion serving 5-2 (new balls): Michaëlla crosscourt backhand just
wide - too many unforced errors. 15/0. Marion netted a forehand on
the third stroke. 15/15. A good serve out wide forced a very short
return, giving Marion an easy forehand winner down the line. 30/15.
Michaëlla sprayed a forehand wide off a deep ball from Marion.
Michaëlla looked close to tears. 40/15 (2 MPs). Michaëlla netted a
backhand. Marion won 3-6 6-3 6-2 at 17:09. They exchanged kisses at
the net, and Michaëlla left the court looking very upset.


Articles
--------

Bartoli nap helps her to semi-finals
By Paul Majendie
>>>
LONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - France's Marion Bartoli, refreshed by an
hour's sleep nap in one of Wimbledon's rain-breaks, battled her way
into the semi-finals on Wednesday with a 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory over
Michaëlla Krajícek.

Bartoli, who says she needs 10 hours' sleep a night to be at her
best, took a much-needed nap when rain stopped play.

Much refreshed after bedding down in the locker-room, she came from a
set down to book her place in the last four of a Grand Slam for the
first time at the age of 22.

Bartoli, explaining her unorthodox route to victory, said she was
late to bed last night when her doubles-match was finally postponed
and, as a result, got only eight hours' sleep.

"I need at least 10 hours each night for me to sleep, so I am missing
two hours," she said.

Cat-napping in the locker-room worked wonders. "After one hour of
sleep it was much better," she said.

Reporters at her post-match news-conference wondered how she woke up.

She explained: "When I heard the referee's office announcement,
'We are uncovering the court, checking the court and we'll get back
to you as soon as possible,' I knew it was time to wake up!"

The refreshed number 18 seed dropped just five points on her own
serve in the second set. In the decider, Bartoli, who is coached by
her doctor father Walter, twice broke the disconsolate Dutch
teenager's serve to coast to victory.

Bartoli will certainly need her full quota of sleep before her semi-
final, as she will be facing the most redoubtable opponent the
tournament has to offer - number one seed Justine Henin.
<<<

PA SportsTicker
>>>
In the only other quarter-final match scheduled for Wednesday, No. 18
Marion Bartoli of France continued her shocking run through the
tournament by dispatching Michaëlla Krajícek 3-6 6-3 6-2.

Bartoli, who had never made it past the third round in four previous
appearances here, used a nearly error-free attack to successfully
follow up her win over third-seeded Jelena Jankovic on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Frenchwoman had just 10 unforced errors, and recorded
three breaks in reaching her first Grand-Slam semi-final, where she
will face Henin.

"It was the first time to be in the quarters," Bartoli said. "To be
able to go through that match, even if I [didn't] start very well,
was good. I found the key after the rain-delay, and I play very good.
I'm really happy to go through and to be in the semi-final."

Krajícek had been winless in one previous trip to the All England
Club prior to this year.
<<<

-------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Women's Doubles: Second-round TV-report:
    Bartoli/Tu v Vaidišová/Záhlavová Strýcová (Wednesday 4th July 2007)
-------------------------------------------------------------------

+ Marion Bartoli [S]/Meilen Tu
d. Nicole Vaidišová [EF]/Barbora Záhlavová Strýcová, 7-5 7-6 (8/6)

I did hope Nicole wouldn't come to regret playing this match between
19:13 and 20:50 BST when she had her singles quarter-final the next
day!

But the Czechs seemed determined to force a third set, although they
didn't succeed. They could actually have won both sets, because they
had Marion serving at 4-5 (15/30) in the first, Tu serving at 5-6
(15/30) in the second, and had three set-points at 6/3* in the
tiebreak.

It was my first time to see Barbora Záhlavová Strýcová play. She may
not look pretty in the photos I've seen, but she does look much
better and cuter on TV. She also hit some impressive leaping smashes!

Louise Pleming: "Nicole always plays doubles with a friend. It's all
about relaxing and practising her serve."
Jo Durie: "It's nice to be able to talk to someone in your own
language - not have to use English."

My full TV-report includes a point-by-point description:
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/vaidi/wimbledon2007.html

--------------------------------------
3. Women's Doubles: Third-round result (Wednesday 4th July 2007)
--------------------------------------

+ (Peng,Shuai [S]/Yan,Zi [S]) d. (CHAN,YUNG-JAN/CHUANG,CHIA-JUNG)[3],
6-3 6-2

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Contents
--------

1. Fourth-round TV-report: Bartoli v Jankovic
2. Women's Doubles

---------------------------------------------
1. Fourth-round TV-report: Bartoli v Jankovic (Tuesday 3rd July 2007)
---------------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. JELENA JANKOVIC [3], 3-6 7-5 6-3

This was sweet revenge for Marion's 1-6 1-6 thrashing by Jankovic in
the fourth round of the French Open, as Jankovic's heavy schedule
finally caught up with her, and they had to contend with four rain-
delays.

Virginia Wade said Marion was better on grass than on clay, because
her balls skid through low (because she hits them very flat). She was
also coming to the net more often than Jankovic.


First set
---------
BARTOLI __*__@ @_ 3
JANKOVI @* *@ @ @ 6

I watched highlights on BBC2 during a rain-delay:

Jankovic serving 5-2: 30/40 (break-point). Marion hit an error-
forcing forehand smash (Jankovic backhand just wide).

Marion serving 3-5: Marion brought Jankovic to her knees with a short-
angled crosscourt backhand winner on the sideline. 15/0. Marion
crosscourt backhand just wide. 15/15. Double fault #2 (second serve
into the net). 15/30. A long rally ended with Marion mishitting a
backhand wide of the tramlines. 15/40 (2 SPs). Jankovic sprayed a
backhand wide. 30/40 (SP #2). Jankovic sprayed a down-the-line
forehand wide. Simon Reed said she was a bit greedy there. 40/40.
Marion netted a backhand. Ad Jankovic. Marion backhand long. Jankovic
won the first set 6-3.


Second set
----------
BARTOLI _*@* *@___@* 7
JANKOVI *___*__@*@__ 5

Jankovic serving 0-0: Marion forehand just long. 15/0. Jankovic
backhand dropshot-winner from behind the baseline. 30/0. Jankovic
sprayed a backhand wide on the third stroke. 30/15. Marion opened up
the court beautifully and hit a crosscourt forehand drive-volley
winner. 30/30. A good deep backhand return down the line forced
Jankovic to net a backhand. 30/40 (BP). Jankovic hit a deep forehand
onto the baseline, forcing Marion to net a backhand. 40/40. Jankovic
backhand dropshot-winner. Ad Jankovic. Marion came to the net and hit
a two-handed forehand volley-winner. Deuce #2. Jankovic netted a
backhand. Simon Reed: "She's under pressure every time that second
serve goes in." Ad Marion (BP #2). Marion forehand return just long.
Deuce #3. Marion hit a deep, skidding backhand return just inside the
baseline, forcing Jankovic to miss a backhand. Ad Marion (BP #3).
Serve + crosscourt forehand virtual winner. Deuce #4. Marion netted a
forehand return. Ad Jankovic. She held with a off-backhand winner
into the corner.

Simon Reed: "She's looking the more confident player, Bartoli. She's
just not able to transmit that into winning games."

Marion is limping a bit.

Marion serving 0-1: Marion forehand drop-volley winner. 15/0.
Jankovic backhand wide off a deep ball from Marion. 30/0. Jankovic
backhand dropshot virtual winner. 30/15. Jankovic backhand dropshot-
winner. 30/30. Service-winner out wide. 40/30. Marion ran down a
dropshot and hit a beautiful crosscourt forehand dropshot-winner so
short!

Jankovic is blinking like there's something in her left eye.

Jankovic serving 1-1: Marion netted a backhand. 15/0. Jankovic played
a spreading rally, forcing Marion to hit a forehand pass just long.
30/0. Jankovic sprayed a forehand wide off a deep ball from Marion.
30/15. Marion netted a backhand. 40/15. Jankovic netted a forehand.
40/30. Double fault (second serve long). 40/40. Marion crosscourt
forehand drive-volley winner. Ad Marion (BP). Marion forced a short
ball and hit a crosscourt backhand winner to get the first break of
the second set.

Jankovic asked for the trainer to help her get the foreign body out
of her eye. Virginia Wade suggested that it could be mascara. But
Jankovic said she thought it was a hair from either a towel or a ball.

Marion sat in her chair, shaking, but Simon Reed said it should be a
welcome respite for her because she was "gulping in air".

Virginia Wade: "Marion's hitting the ball so flat that all Jankovic
can do is react."

Marion serving 2-1: Jankovic sprayed a forehand long after a longish
rally. 15/0. Jankovic went for a forehand down the line, but put it
wide. 30/0. Marion netted a forehand. 30/15. Marion backhand long.
30/30. Marion backhand just wide. But she challenged it, and Hawkeye
showed that it clipped the outside edge of the sideline. Replay:
Jankovic forehand winner down the line. 30/40 (BP). Marion played a
good spreading rally, until Jankovic's crosscourt forehand forced her
to run for a forehand and hit it long.

Virginia Wade said it was awkward to play Selesians on grass, because
they hit the ball so early and flat.

Jankovic is still blinking like her eye is bothering her.

Jankovic serving 1-3: Marion netted a return. 15/0. Marion netted a
backhand. 30/0. Ace down the middle. Jankovic holding her right
thigh. 40/0. Marion backhand dropshot-winner. 40/15. Jankovic netted
a sliced backhand into the net. 40/30. Marion hit a cracking
crosscourt forehand winner! 40/40. Jankovic hit a short-angled
crosscourt backhand off a crosscourt backhand on the sideline from
Marion. Ad Jankovic. Jankovic backhand long. Deuce #2. Marion hit a
forehand return onto the baseline, forcing Jankovic to net a
backhand. Ad Marion (BP). Jankovic sprayed a backhand wide.

Simon Reed: "Jankovic is good defensively, and Bartoli isn't."

Virginia Wade said Monica Seles was both these girls' idol: Marion as
a Selesian, and Jankovic as a Serb.

Marion serving 3-2: Jankovic netted a forehand. 15/0. Marion hit a
crosscourt forehand just inside the sideline, forcing Jankovic to
stretch wide and net a forehand. 30/0. Marion netted a backhand.
30/15. Serve + forehand winner down Jankovic's forehand-line - she
did well to run around her backhand when the ball was jamming into
her body. 40/15. Jankovic netted a forehand return.

Jankovic likes to play quickly, with little time between points,
whereas Marion is very deliberate.

Jankovic serving 2-4: Jankovic netted a backhand on the third stroke.
0/15. Marion hit a crosscourt backhand return just inside the
sideline, forcing Jankovic to net a backhand. 0/30. Jankovic on the
third stroke hit a backhand winner down the line behind Marion.
15/30. Ace #4, out wide. 30/30. Marion showed brilliant anticipation,
and hit an error-forcing backhand down the line, just inside the
baseline! 30/40 (BP). Marion broke with a brilliant backhand dropshot-
winner.

Marion serving 5-2 (new balls): Marion forehand just long. 0/15.
Jankovic forehand long by a whisker. 15/15. Jankovic off-forehand
winner onto the sideline. 15/30. Marion hit an error-forcing
crosscourt forehand just inside the sideline - "brilliant change of
direction" [Virginia Wade]. 30/30. Marion played a good spreading
rally but netted a forehand. 30/40 (BP). Marion netted a backhand
after a well-played point by Jankovic.

Marion looks bothered by her thigh, and is stretching and moving
uneasily between points.

Jankovic serving 3-5: Jankovic crosscourt backhand winner onto the
sideline. 15/0. Jankovic forehand just long. 15/15. Double fault
(second serve wide - Jankovic used up a challenge). 15/30. Jankovic
short-angled off-backhand winner. 30/30. Jankovic, running backwards
for a decent lob, hit a forehand smash virtual winner. 40/30.
Marion's forehand clipped the netcord and fell wide.

Marion serving 5-4: Just a few spots of rain. Marion crosscourt
backhand just long. 0/15. Marion hit a deep, skidding, error-forcing
crosscourt forehand onto the baseline. 15/15. Marion ran down a
dropshot, hit a backhand down the line, and Jankovic mishit a
forehand into the net. Marion looked exhausted after that rally.
30/15. Marion played a good spreading rally, but Jankovic had a dead-
netcord backhand winner. 30/30. Marion netted a backhand. 30/40 (BP).
Marion sprayed a forehand just long.

Jankovic serving 5-5: Marion hit a crosscourt backhand dropshot-
winner that just crept over the net. 0/15. Standing well inside the
baseline to receive, Marion induced a double fault (second serve just
long). 0/30. Jankovic backhand long. 0/40 (3 BPs). Play was suspended
for rain.

On the resumption, Marion sprayed an off-forehand return wide. 15/40.
Marion played an excellent spreading rally with great pace and depth,
culminating with a crosscourt backhand winner just inside the
sideline.

More spots of rain.

Marion serving 6-5: Jankovic netted a backhand. 15/0. Marion hit a
mighty crosscourt backhand deep into the corner, followed by an
equally mighty crosscourt forehand deep into the other corner! 30/0.
Jankovic hit a crosscourt backhand winner off a short, low shot from
Marion. 30/15. Marion opened up the court and hit a backhand drop-
volley that induced Jankovic to net a running backhand.
40/15 (2 SPs). Marion's hit an off-backhand onto the sideline,
forcing Jankovic to net a forehand.

What an excellent game to serve out the second set!


Third set
---------
BARTOLI @__* *@*@ 3
JANKOVI _@* *____ 6

Jankovic serving 3-3: Marion cracked a forehand return-winner down
the line. 0/15. Marion netted a backhand return. 15/15. Jankovic
sprayed a backhand wide. 15/30. Jankovic went for a forehand winner
down the line, but put it wide. 15/40 (2 BPs). Jankovic sprayed a
forehand very long to give Marion the break.

Marion serving 4-3: Marion played a good spreading rally, but
Jankovic won it with a forehand dropshot-winner from just inside the
baseline. 0/15. Marion netted a backhand after a longish rally. 0/30.
Marion netted a backhand. 0/40 (3 BPs). Jankovic forehand just long.
15/40. Marion got away with a short approach as Jankovic hit a
crosscourt backhand pass just wide. Marion lurched, clutching her
hip - an injury? 30/40. Jankovic's forehand clipped the netcord and
fell back on her side. Marion gulped in air again. 40/40. Jankovic
went for an off-backhand winner onto the sideline; it was called
wide, but Jankovic risked her last challenge to show that it caught
the outside edge of the sideline by about 1%! Ad Jankovic (BP #4).
Jankovic netted a backhand and shouted in frustration. Deuce #2.
Marion forced Jankovic to hit a backhand lob wide. Ad Marion. Marion
netted a forehand after a gruelling rally. Deuce #3. Jankovic netted
a forehand. Ad Marion. She hit a forehand lob-winner over Jankovic's
head and onto the baseline!

Jankovic serving 3-5: 0/15. Marion dropshot + backhand lob over
Jankovic's backhand-shoulder forced her to net a backhand volley.
0/30. Jankovic forehand just wide. She used up her last challenge.
Jankovic ran down a dropshot and hit a forehand just wide. Marion won
3-6 7-5 6-3 at 16:38, and sat sobbing with her head in a towel -
overcome by the emotion of reaching her first Grand-Slam quarter-
final.

Martina Navrátilová blamed Jankovic's defeat on her heavy schedule:
French Open semi-finalist, Birmingham-champion and runner-up at
's-Hertogenbosch. Boris Becker as good as said that she was being
advised by people who only cared about money.


Articles
--------

Jankovic suffers surprise defeat [CEEFAX 490->495]
>>>
France's Marion Bartoli caused a major Wimbledon upset by defeating
third seed Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round.

Not many had the Court One match down for an upset, but 18th seed
Bartoli held her nerve to win 3-6 7-5 6-3.

Jankovic has been the form player of 2007 but faltered in the final
set, dropping serve three times.

Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova won, while Venus Williams and
Maria Sharapova managed just three points before the day's fifth rain
break.
<<<

PA SportsTicker
>>>
In another major stunner, No. 18 Marion Bartoli of France knocked off
third-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, 3-6 7-5 6-3.

Bartoli has quickly emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the
tournament. Prior to her unexpected run, she had advanced past the
second round just once in four previous tries here.

"I think at the end, I was a little stronger physically than her,"
Bartoli said. "She looked a little tired."

But now Bartoli has reached a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first
time in her career after outlasting Jankovic, who advanced to the
semi-finals at the French Open last month.

Ranked 19th in the world, Bartoli will face an even bigger surprise
in the quarters when she meets No. 31 Michaëlla Krajícek of the
Netherlands.
<<<

Bartoli knocks out Jankovic in stop-start match
By Sonia Oxley (Reuters)
>>>
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Third seed Jelena Jankovic followed
champion Amélie Mauresmo out of Wimbledon on Tuesday when Marion
Bartoli profited from some sloppy strokes to dismiss her 3-6 7-5 6-3
in a match interrupted four times by rain.

The Serb has been one of the most consistent players this year, and
last month reached the French Open semi-finals, but against the
French 18th seed she seemed to lack conviction at the net, and
repeatedly struggled to hold serve.

She said the fact it had taken nearly six hours to complete the match
had been the main reason for her downfall. "The rain completely put
me off," Jankovic told a news-conference.

"At the end of the day, it's not tennis that decides these sorts of
games - it's the person who can stay strong mentally and physically."

Bartoli said her opponent had looked tired towards the end.

"I think at the end, I was a little stronger physically than her,"
the Frenchwoman said.

"She didn't really know what tactic to use against me at the end is
what I felt. She was playing just the ball."

The 22-year-old said reaching her first Grand-Slam quarter-final had
not come as a shock.

"It's not a big surprise for me. I'm a top 20 player - I'm not 200 in
the world," the world number 19 said.

She faces 31st seed Michaëlla Krajícek of the Netherlands in the next
round, and said she knew little about her.

Jankovic broke four times in the first set, but dropped serve twice,
and her service-game problems continued into the second when the
French 18th seed broke in the third, fifth and seventh.

Bartoli served for the second set three times, eventually getting the
better of her opponent with a crosscourt backhand that Jankovic could
only hit into the net.

The Frenchwoman's groundstrokes seemed to gain power in the third
set, while Jankovic missed some easy smashes and had trouble finding
her range.

The upset was finally complete when Jankovic sent a forehand wide.
<<<

Jankovic blames rain for Wimbledon exit
By Sonia Oxley (Reuters)
>>>
Third seed Jelena Jankovic blamed four rain-interruptions for the
fluffed shots and dropped serves that sealed her fourth-round exit
from Wimbledon on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Serb produced a series of
errors to allow 18th seed Marion Bartoli of France to beat her
3-6 7-5 6-3 in a stop-start match that spanned nearly six hours.

"The rain completely put me off," Jankovic told a news-conference.

"I was not the same player as I am normally. If I play like this, my
ranking is the same as the other girl's - it's not the number three
player in the world. It's 20, or 30 or 50.

"At the end of the day, it's not tennis that decides these sorts of
games - it's the person who can stay strong mentally and physically."

She said she noticed Bartoli had returned from each rain-break
rejuvenated, while she herself felt worse and worse: unable to get
into her rhythm or move around the court properly because she felt
stiff.

"Every rain-break, she came back better and better because she can
rest. She's this kind of player who practises 10 hours a day... she's
only into tennis and I'm not - I just do my job for a few hours, and
then I go," said the French Open semi-finalist.

"Each time when I came back, I felt bad: I didn't do my strokes; my
tactics were completely wrong."

This year's championships have been hit hard by downpours, and
Jankovic said this type of disruption played into the hands of the
outsiders looking for an upset.

"There is no reason for me to lose this match, but in these
circumstances anything can happen," she said.

"I think it suits the lower-ranked players: they have more of a
chance to play with you. I think if we could have played a match
without breaks, I could have won in maybe two sets, also maybe in the
third set as well."

Jankovic had to call the trainer on during the second set when she
had a problem with her eye that she said stopped her seeing the ball.

"There were so many things that were not going my way," she said.

"But I'm not a machine, I'm going to have a bad day."
<<<

Stuart Condie, AP Sports Writer
>>>
Jelena Jankovic thinks she was upset by the bad weather as much as
her opponent at Wimbledon.

The third-seeded Jankovic lost to No. 18 Marion Bartoli of France
3-6 7-5 6-3, and said the four rain-delays in the match dented her
concentration so badly she was missing even routine shots.

"There is no reason for me to lose this match," Jankovic said. "But
in these circumstances, anything can happen. It suits the lower-
ranked players. Without breaks, I think I could have won in two sets."

Jankovic also struggled when, after being broken in the third game of
the second set, she called for a trainer because something was
irritating her left eye.

The Serb continued to play after the trainer failed to find anything,
and broke back to 2-2. During a rain-delay, Jankovic found the speck -
  which she thought was a fiber from a towel - and removed it.

"So many things were against me," she said.
<<<

Jelena Jankovic: "So many breaks. It's not the best thing, and you're
not going to see the best tennis, because players are mentally
drained."


Marion's BBC interview
----------------------

"It's very huge, specially to play Jelena at this stage in a Grand
Slam. This has been waiting so long. Finally I go through, and I'm so
happy.

"I lost to her very easily at the French Open, but here I was giving
to her a bit more troubles. I just look at the ball, try to hit as
clean as possible, and use angles to make her move.

"I played very good in the grass-court season, at Birmingham."

[Re. Michaëlla Krajícek]
"Because she beat Chakvetadze, her ranking means nothing. I'll just
look at it as a normal match."

[Re. her pre-serve ritual and energy-bounces]
"It's really important to me, because my serve has been a weakness,
because I'm not very tall. I need to be really focusing before I toss
the ball. To get some energy into my legs, so I can hit the ball as
high as possible."

--------------------------------
2. Women's Doubles: Second round (Tuesday 3rd July 2007)
--------------------------------

+ (Peng,Shuai [S]/Yan,Zi [S]) d. Eleni Daniilidou/Jasmin Wöhr, 6-0 6-3

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Women's Singles: Third-round TV-report: Morigami v V.Williams
(Monday 2nd July 2007)
-------------------------------------------------------------

- Akiko Morigami [S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [23], 2-6 6-3 5-7

Akiko led *5-3 in the third - serving for the match with new balls -
against the eventual champion!!

Play resumed at 12:14 BST on Court 2, with Williams leading 6-2 1-4*.


Second set
----------
MORIGAMI _*@*@*__@ 6
WILLIAMS *_____*@_ 3

Akiko serving 4-1: Forehand return long. 15/0. Williams sprayed a
backhand wide. 30/0. Williams opened up the court for a forehand
winner down the line, but hit it tamely into the net. 40/0. Akiko
crosscourt backhand winner behind Williams.

Williams serving 1-5: Double fault (second serve wide). 0/15.
Williams netted a backhand on the third stroke. Virginia Wade: "Just
hasn't got the timing at all." 0/30. Double fault (horrendous second
serve into the net). 0/40 (3 SPs). Akiko netted a forehand, giving
Williams her first point of the day! 15/40 (SP #2). Akiko netted
another forehand. 30/40 (SP #3). Big first serve + backhand winner
down the line. 40/40. Double fault (second serve into the net).
Ad Akiko (SP #4). Williams forehand winner down the line. Deuce #2.
Ace down the middle. Ad Williams. Akiko came to the net and hit a
crosscourt forehand volley-winner that caught the outside edge of the
sideline! Deuce #3. Double fault (second serve into the net).
Ad Akiko (SP #5). Akiko hit a forehand halfway up the net. Deuce #4.
Williams forehand netcord wide. Ad Akiko (SP #6). Williams came to
the net, inducing Akiko to net a forehand pass. Deuce #5.
Akiko crosscourt backhand volley winner wide by a whisker.
Ad Williams. Akiko netted a forehand.

Virginia Wade: "Sometimes a game like that can play someone like
Venus in."

Akiko serving 5-2: Serve + dropshot-winner. 15/0. Double fault
(second serve long). 15/15. Akiko's forehand hit the netcord and fell
back on her side. 15/30. Double fault (second serve just long).
15/40 (2 BPs). Akiko forehand long.

Williams serving 3-5: She sprayed a wild forehand very long. 0/15.
Double fault (second serve into the net). 0/30. Akiko forehand just
wide. 15/30. Double fault (second serve long). 15/40 (SP #7). Akiko
forehand just long. 30/40 (SP #8). Service-winner: forehand return
just wide. 40/40. Double fault (second serve long). Ad Akiko (SP #9).
Williams came to the net, rushing Akiko into hitting a forehand long
by a whisker - it would have been a winner if it had just caught the
baseline! Deuce #2. Double fault (second serve into the net).
Ad Akiko (SP #10). Akiko hit a fabulous backhand return down the
line, right in the corner, forcing Williams to spray a forehand wide.
Akiko won the second set 6-3 at 12:31.

Akiko's struggles to close out that set mean that Williams has the
momentum going into the third. But this match has now replaced Henin
v Schnyder on BBC2, with Akiko threatening a "huge upset" against the
23rd seed! :lol:


Third set
---------
MORIGAMI * * * *@____ 5
WILLIAMS _* * *__@*@* 7

Akiko serving 0-0: Williams netted a backhand. 15/0. Williams
forehand just wide. Akiko came to the net, forcing Williams to net a
forehand. 30/15. Williams netted a backhand. 40/15. Serve + forehand
winner down the line.

Williams serving 0-1: Akiko forehand long. 15/0. Williams forehand
very long & very wide. 15/15. Williams came to the net, but Akiko
from way behind the baseline hit a short-angled crosscourt forehand
pass-winner! 15/30. Service-winner out wide. 30/30. Williams came to
the net, but Akiko cracked a brilliant crosscourt pass-winner! 30/40
(BP). Akiko netted a sliced backhand. 40/40. Williams's pace and
depth forced Akiko to hit a forehand long & wide. Ad Williams.
Akiko forehand wide.

Akiko serving 1-1: Akiko crosscourt forehand winner. 15/0. Akiko came
to the net, forcing Williams to net a forehand. 30/0. Akiko
crosscourt backhand winner into the corner. 40/0. Akiko took the
initiative but sprayed a wild forehand wide. 40/15. Williams backhand
return-winner down Akiko's backhand-line. 40/30. Williams netted a
forehand, and Akiko said "c'mon".

No signs of folding from Morigami! ;-)

Williams serving 1-2: Akiko netted a backhand return. 15/0. Akiko
forehand just long. 30/0. Williams netcord crosscourt backhand pass-
winner. 40/0. Williams netted a backhand volley off a testing pass
from Akiko. 40/15. Williams backhand long. 40/30. Service-winner.

Akiko serving 2-2: Akiko netted a forehand. 0/15. Double fault
(second serve long). 0/30. Double fault (second serve into the net).
0/40 (3 BPs). Akiko forehand winner down the line, on the sideline.
15/40. Williams backhand just long. 30/40. Akiko saved the third with
a crosscourt backhand just inside the sideline, forcing Williams to
net a forehand. 40/40. Akiko netted a tame backhand.
Ad Williams (BP #4). Akiko crosscourt forehand winner just inside the
sideline. Deuce #2. Williams backhand long. Ad Akiko. Serve + off-
backhand winner. Akiko said "c'mon".

Williams serving 2-3: Williams hit a high backhand volley long, off a
testing lob from Akiko. 0/15. Williams netted a backhand. 0/30.
Another error from Williams. 0/40 (3 BPs). Williams came in behind a
crosscourt forehand onto the sideline, forcing Akiko to earth a
forehand lob. 15/40. Akiko netted a tight-looking forehand. 30/40.
Virtual ace down the middle. 40/40. Service-winner out wide.
Ad Williams. Service-winner: Akiko forehand wide.

Akiko serving 3-3: Service-winner out wide caught the outside edge of
the sideline. 15/0. Serve + backhand down the line forced Williams
forehand long. 30/0. Williams dropshot + backhand smash-winner.
30/15. Akiko's depth forced Williams way behind the baseline to hit a
backhand long. 40/15. Double fault (second serve into the net).
40/30. Williams sprayed a forehand very long.

Williams serving 3-4: Williams off-backhand winner just inside the
sideline. 15/0. Akiko hit an early, penetrating forehand return down
Williams's forehand-line, forcing her to net a forehand. 15/15.
Williams netted a forehand off a short ball. 15/30. Akiko forehand
dead-netcord winner. She apologised with a wave. 15/40 (2 BPs).
Service-winner. 30/40. Double fault (second serve long).

Akiko serving for the match at 5-3 (new balls): Akiko sprayed a wild
forehand very long. 0/15. Akiko went for a forehand but hit it into
the net. 0/30. Akiko sliced backhand just wide after an intriguing
rally with her previous shot on the baseline. 0/40 (3 BPs). Williams
broke with a fearsome backhand winner down the line, on the baseline.

Williams serving 4-5: Ace out wide, on the sideline. 15/0. Williams
opened up the court but netted a forehand. 15/15. Service-winner out
wide. 30/15. Body-jamming service-winner. 40/15. Service-winner out
wide, right in the corner.

Akiko serving 5-5: Crosscourt forehand return-winner onto the
sideline. 0/15. Akiko came in behind a deep crosscourt forehand,
forcing Williams to net a forehand. 15/15. Williams netted a
backhand. 30/15. Williams netted a backhand with a huge grunt after
an intriguing rally which Akiko dominated early. 40/15. Akiko had to
stretch low & wide for a backhand half-volley, which clipped the
netcord and fell back on her side. 40/30. Akiko netted a forehand.
40/40. Akiko netted a forehand. Ad Williams (BP). Deep, body-jamming
service-winner on the second serve! Deuce #2. Akiko came in behind a
forehand down the line, but Williams forced a weak volley and hit a
forehand pass-winner down the line. Ad Williams (BP #2). Akiko went
for a crosscourt forehand, but it was just wide.

Williams serving 6-5: Akiko forehand just wide on the fourth stroke.
15/0. A few drops of rain. Deep backhand return forced Williams to
net a backhand. 15/15. Off a short return from Akiko, Williams mishit
a forehand onto the court behind! 15/30. Raining more heavily.
Akiko's backhand down the line forced Williams to hit a running
forehand wide. 15/40 (2 BPs). Service-winner down the middle.
All other courts have been suspended. 30/40. Serve + backhand winner
down the line. 40/40. Deep service-winner out wide.
Ad Williams (MP #1). With very visible rain falling, Akiko netted a
forehand return. Williams won 6-2 3-6 7-5.


Articles
--------

Venus battles back again [Teletext 496]
>>>
Venus Williams came back from the brink of defeat for the second time
in three matches to seal a fourth-round match against Maria Sharapova.

The three-time champion resumed her match against Akiko Morigami a
set up, but the Japanese player levelled, then broke to serve for the
match.

But Williams hit back in trademark style, winning four games in a row
to sneak through 6-2 3-6 7-5.
<<<

Venus draws on experience to fight another round
By Sonia Oxley (Reuters)
>>>
Three-times former champion Venus Williams survived a hair-raising
third-round match against Akiko Morigami of Japan on Monday, and she
said experience had helped her find the will to win 6-2 3-6 7-5.

Morigami was serving for the match in the third set when Williams
found an extra gear and took control of the match to set up a fourth-
round encounter with world number two Maria Sharapova.

"Definitely one of my strong points is I'm a tough competitor and a
huge fighter," Williams told a news conference.

"In my experience, I just always feel like it should go my way. So I
guess experience helps."

The American former world number one, seeded 23 here, had seemed to
be cruising when she eased to a convincing first-set lead in the
match which started on Saturday.

But a double break by the Japanese player gave her a 4-1 lead before
the weather intervened and halted play until Monday.

Williams kept herself in the second set by saving six set-points in
the seventh game and then breaking in the next. But Morigami
unleashed some accurate shots down the line finally to snatch the set.

Seemingly intent on making it difficult for herself, Williams dropped
serve in the eighth game of the third, allowing Morigami to serve for
the match. But the American's resilience kicked in and she broke back.

In the end Morigami handed Williams the match when she put a return
into the net.

"Winning this kind of match helps me going on in the tournament,"
said Williams.

She will need as much help as she can get in the next round against
Sharapova, who has yet to drop a set.

The clash is a replay of the 2005 Wimbledon semi-final, which
Williams won on her way to the title.

Williams has not had an easy ride at this year's tournament, and had
to claw her way back from a set down in her first-round match after
her powerful serve and elegant groundstrokes deserted her.

She made 14 double faults and 42 unforced errors in the match against
Morigami, but said she had played better than in her first-round
match.

"I felt like in this match I was making some errors but my game
wasn't off," she said.
<<<

Williams isn't 'court' out
By Ian Laybourn, Special to PA SportsTicker
>>>
While the top seeds avoid it like the plague, Venus Williams admits
she enjoys dealing with death on the "graveyard of champions".

The 27-year-old three-time Wimbledon champion defied the curse of
Court Two for the second time in seven days to set up a fourth-round
showdown with Maria Sharapova.

Williams, who lost to a little-known Jelena Jankovic on Court Two
last year, had to come from behind there in her first-round match
against Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva, and was on the brink on Monday
before securing a 6-2 3-6 7-5 victory over a battling Akiko Morigami.

"I like Court Two," Williams said. "Court Two is where I've had a lot
of great times, so it's okay.

"It's definitely invigorating to win a match like that. Winning this
kind of match is invaluable in this tournament."

The Japanese world No. 71 built on a 4-1 lead from Saturday by
winning the second set to level the match when play resumed an hour
after the scheduled start on Monday morning.

Morigami then appeared to fold when she served for the match at 5-3,
but Williams made no mistake when her chance came, despite a steady
drizzle which turned into a mini-downpour seconds after she clinched
victory.

Williams was quick to defend her less experienced opponent, who had
never been past the third round in six successive appearances at
Wimbledon.

"I don't think she choked," she said. "I don't think she gave it
away. She played really well but I was able to play a little better.

"She played tough and didn't give me too many points. I had to go out
there and take it, because I knew she was going to go for it."

Rain had come to Williams' aid on Saturday afternoon when she found
herself a double break down after winning the first set.

Morigami produced a love service-game on Monday's resumption to make
it four games in a row, and appeared ready to make up for lost time.

Williams, the champion here in 2000, 2001 and 2005, lost her grip on
the match after encountering all sorts of problems with her serve on
Saturday, and she came up with four double faults in her opening
service-game on Monday.

Down 0/40, Williams saved six set-points before finally holding, and
then broke her Japanese opponent to get the score back to 3-5.

However, Williams' woes continued in the next game in which she came
up with four more double faults and, although she saved three more
set-points, Morigami broke for a third time to take the set 6-3 and
level the match.

Both players battled to come from 0/40 down on their own serve as the
deciding set went with serve until the eighth game, when a lucky
netcord gave Morigami a break-point, and Williams followed it with a
14th double fault of the match.

Serving for the match amid rising tension at 5-3, the Japanese girl
was broken to love, and she dropped her serve again to trail 5-6.

To add to the drama, rain began to fall as Williams served for the
match, but play was allowed to continue, and the American came from
15/40 down to clinch victory after two hours and five minutes.

Williams will need to lift her game is she is to repeat her 2005 semi-
final win over Sharapova after producing 42 errors against Morigami,
but insists there are no dramas over her serve, despite coming up
with 14 double faults.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with it," she said. "If
anything, I think it helped me a lot in this match. There were times
when I was down 0/40 or down some break-points where my big first
serves brought it back to deuce.

"So for me, I always see my serve as an asset. In life and in tennis,
there are going to be some mistakes. But it's all about how you look
at it. For me, I feel like my serve is just fine, so I'm okay."
<<<

More quotes from Williams
-------------------------

"She played really well. She hit some nice passing-shots, played
aggressive. She didn't give me too many points - I had to go out
there and take it."

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=================
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Contents
--------

1. Women's Singles: First round
2. Women's Singles: Second round
3. Women's Singles: Third round
4. Third-round TV-report: Morigami v V.Williams (Part 1)
5. Men's Singles: First round
6. Men's Singles: Second round
7. Women's Doubles: First round

-------------------------------
1. Women's Singles: First round
-------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. Flavia Pennetta [DF], 6-3 6-1
+ Akiko Morigami [S] d. Alberta Brianti, 6-4 6-0
+ Aiko Nakamura [S] d. Martina Suchá, 7-5 6-2
- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. Hana Šromová, 4-6 4-6
- Yan,Zi [Q,S] lt. TATHIANA GARBIN [21], 6-3 2-6 3-6
- Ayumi Morita [Q,S] lt. MARA SANTANGELO [28], 1-6 6-3 3-6
- Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] lt. TATIANA GOLOVIN [17,DF], 7-5 3-6 6-8

I followed live scores casually for Golovin v Hsieh. Tatiana was 3-5*
down in the third set, and also had to serve to save it at *5-6. So a
good fightback from her, but it looks like her Wimbledon-campaign is
going to be ruined by ankle-injuries for the third year in a row! :-(

--------------------------------
2. Women's Singles: Second round
--------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. Olga Govortsova [Q], 7-5 6-2

I'm pretty sure Marion was down something like 2-5 when I was
scoreboard-flicking!


+ Akiko Morigami [S] d. DINARA SAFINA [13], 6-4 7-5
- Aiko Nakamura [S] lt. MARTINA HINGIS [9], 1-6 2-6

I watched Nakamura v Hingis casually on BBCi. I thought that Hingis
was ripe for the upset after almost losing to Naomi Cavaday in the
first round, but she seemed to have retained her form from her
dramatic recovery in that match, while Aiko turned in a dreadful,
unforced-error-strewn performance.

Aiko had one chance to get into the match at *3-1 in the second, when
she suddenly started playing a lot better, with great footwork and
some winners, but she was still broken in that game by a ruthless
Hingis.

-------------------------------
3. Women's Singles: Third round
-------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. SHAHAR PE'ER [16], 6-3 6-2
* Akiko Morigami [S] v VENUS WILLIAMS [23], 2-6 *4-1

-----------------------------------------------
4. Third-round TV-report: Morigami v V.Williams
(Saturday 30th June 2007)
-----------------------------------------------

* Akiko Morigami [S] v VENUS WILLIAMS [23], 2-6 *4-1

I watched the second set on BBCi, and it's a shame that it was
suspended, as Akiko definitely had the momentum, and would
undoubtedly have won in three sets if it had continued on Saturday.


Second set
----------
MORIGAMI _*@*@ 4
WILLIAMS *____ 1

Williams serving 0-0: Service-winner. 15/0. Williams sliced a
backhand long. 15/15. Williams came to the net behind a sliced
backhand, forcing Akiko to net a backhand pass. 30/15. Williams
forehand netcord-winner. 40/15. Double fault. 40/30. Williams
forehand long. 40/40. Williams forehand very long. Ad Akiko (BP).
Serve + backhand winner down the line. Deuce #2. Akiko netted a
forehand return and slipped. Ad W. Williams hit a crosscourt forehand
just inside the sideline, forcing Akiko to net a running forehand.

Akiko serving 0-1: Williams netted a backhand. 15/0. Akiko sprayed a
forehand long. 15/15. Serve + crosscourt forehand winner. 30/15.
Akiko sprayed a wild forehand very long. 30/30. Williams came in
behind a deep sliced backhand, dominated at the net, and hit a
backhand volley-winner. 30/40 (BP). Williams forehand return just
long. 40/40. Williams came in behind a deep backhand drive-volley
down the middle, just inside the baseline, forcing Akiko to hit a
forehand wide. Ad Williams (BP). Akiko forehand winner down the line.
Deuce #2. Williams opened up the court and hit a crosscourt backhand
winner. Ad Williams (BP #2). A long rally ended with Williams hitting
a forehand long. Deuce #3. Williams netted a wild forehand return.
Ad Akiko. Service-winner.

Williams serving 1-1: Ace down the middle, on the service-line. 15/0.
Double fault #4 (second serve long). 15/15. Williams netted a
forehand on the third stroke. 15/30. Akiko came to the net and hit an
aggressive forehand volley, catching Williams in no-man's-land and
forcing her to net a backhand. 15/40 (2 BPs). Double fault #5.

Akiko serving 2-1: Akiko forehand long. 0/15. A deep serve on the
service-line induced Williams to spray a forehand return wide. 15/15.
Service-winner. 30/15. Akiko came to the net and hit a backhand drive-
volley winner down the line. 40/15. Williams came to the net, but
Akiko came up with a "spectacular" backhand lob-winner over her head.

Williams serving 1-3: Second serve on the service-line: Akiko netted
a forehand return. 15/0. A deep return induced Williams to spray a
backhand long & wide. 15/15. Akiko hit a "super" crosscourt backhand
winner behind Williams. 15/30. Off a "scary" first serve from
Williams, Akiko hit an amazing short-angled crosscourt backhand
winner onto the sideline! 15/40 (2 BPs). Akiko forehand just long.
30/40. Akiko drew Williams to the net with a dropshot, then hit a
deep forehand down the middle of the court, just inside the baseline,
forcing Williams to run back and net a forehand off the back foot.

Akiko serving 4-1: Play was suspended for rain, which is a shame as
Akiko had the /momentum/ as well as the lead. On Monday, her two-
break lead should be enough to close out the second set, but I'm not
too optimistic about the third.

-----------------------------
5. Men's Singles: First round
-----------------------------

+ Fabrice Santoro [S] d. Ivo Karlovic, 4-6 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (7/3) 3-6 6-4

------------------------------
6. Men's Singles: Second round
------------------------------

- Fabrice Santoro [S] lt. Nicolas Kiefer, 4-6 3-6 4-6

-------------------------------
7. Women's Doubles: First round
-------------------------------

+ (Peng,Shuai [S]/Yan,Zi [S]) d. Ashley Harkleroad/Tzipora Obziler,
4-6 6-4 6-2

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

Seles to Headline 2008 Legends of Tennis Event
United States Tennis Association
7th April 2008
Corrections by Andrew Broad (no affiliation with the USTA)
>>>
The American Red Cross, Berks County Chapter is delighted to welcome
tennis-legend and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Monica Seles to
the 14th Annual Legends of Tennis event. Joining Seles are John
Isner, Johan Kriek and Corina Morariu. Catch the action at Alvernia
College's Physical Education Center [sic] at 2:30pm EDT on 12th April.

Legends of Tennis is a two-day event that includes tennis-clinics,
food, fun, music and top-notch court-action by professional tennis-
players.

Guests are invited to participate in the clinics and watch the edge-
of-your-seat tennis-matches. In addition to a Legends doubles-match,
this event includes an exhilarating match featuring local high-school
tennis-players paired with the professionals. Join the Berks County
Chapter in welcoming the former #1-ranked woman!

Born in Yugoslavia in 1973, Seles came to the United States in 1986
when she enrolled in the Nick Bolletieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton,
Florida. She played her first professional tournament in March 1988
at the age of 14, and won her first career-title at Houston in April
1989, where she beat Chris Evert in the final. Seles won her first
Grand Slam singles-title at the French Open in 1990. Seles first
achieved the #1 ranking in the world in 1991 at the age of 17.

She was the youngest player ever to have achieved that ranking. Seles
was named WTA Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992, and held the #1
ranking until June 1993 - after being stabbed during a match in
Hamburg, Germany on 30th April 1993. She did not return to the WTA
Tour until the Canadian Open in 1995, when she came back co-ranked #1
and won the tournament. In the spring of 2003, a foot-injury forced
Seles to refrain from playing on the WTA Tour until she announced her
retirement on 14th February 2008. Seles has 53 career-titles and 9
Grand Slam victories: 4 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens and 2 US
Opens.
<<<
Source (including photo and contact-details for the event):
http://preview.tinyurl.com/59qwox

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

==========================
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S OPEN (Eastbourne, England; grass; WTA Tier II)
========================== http://eastbourne.lta.org.uk/

MARION BARTOLI [8,S]:
1r + Tathiana Garbin, 6-2 6-3
2r + Melanie South [WC], 6-1 6-3
qf + ELENA DEMENTIEVA [4], 6-1 6-0
sf - JUSTINE HENIN [1], 1-6 3-6

-------------------
First-round article (Tuesday 19th June 2007)
-------------------

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1453
>>>
Marion Bartoli was the next-highest seed to take to the court on
Day 2 of the tournament and she looked in sparkling form at the
Wimbledon tune-up event, racing past Italy's Tathiana Garbin in just
69 minutes. The two players are separated by just three ranking
spots, but it was the No.8 seeded Frenchwoman who settled the quicker
of the two players onto the slick grass-courts of the Devonshire Park
International Tennis Centre, notching up her first career-victory
over Garbin with a 6-2 6-3 win.
<<<

----------------------
Quarter-final articles (Thursday 21st June 2007)
----------------------

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1457
>>>
Bartoli, the No.8 seed, was in superb form on Court 1, cruising
through against former US and Roland Garros runner-up Elena
Dementieva, 6-1 6-0.
<<<

Bartoli proving big hit (by Oliver Brown for The Daily Telegraph)
>>>
If you like your women fast, ferocious and French, then do not rush
to stake your whole Wimbledon war-chest on Amélie Mauresmo. For it
appears that there is a pretender in town, in the curvaceous shape of
Marion Bartoli, whose relentless returning-game has been cutting a
swathe across the sedate Eastbourne lawns.

Bartoli yesterday did not so much overcome Elena Dementieva - once a
French and US Open finalist - as obliterate her. A blur of manic
energy, she pumped her arms between points and pounced on loose balls
with double-handed backhands so lethal that even Serena Williams
might have envied them. Her statuesque Russian opponent had no
weaponry to match, and was pulverised 6-1 6-0.

How much should we read into such a battering? Not too much, if you
were to believe Bartoli, who claimed graciously that she was "just as
likely to lose" to Dementieva at Wimbledon. But the Frenchwoman has
in her possession that elixir of the modern women's game: power. She
likens herself to Monica Seles, taking the ball early and unleashing
the flattest of returns, and is undoubtedly one to watch.

But Mauresmo also has pressing business this week, with the
Eastbourne-final likely to pit her against Justine Henin, whom she
vanquished to such acclaim at Wimbledon last year. The problem is
that the Belgian's switch to grass has also been brisk - having
expected to be tested by the Czech Nicole Vaidišová, she showed only
a steely purpose to prevail 6-2 6-2.

"I was clear in my head about what I wanted to do," Henin said. "The
way I played tactically, she never had a chance to get her rhythm."

A tactical conundrum awaits her today, though, when she confronts the
brute force of Bartoli.
<<<

--------------------
Semi-final TV-report (Friday 22nd June 2007)
--------------------

- MARION BARTOLI [8,S] lt. JUSTINE HENIN [1], 1-6 3-6


First set
---------
BARTO ___*___ 1
HENIN *@* *@* 6

Henin serving 0-0: Henin backhand wide. 0/15. A long rally ended with
Henin hitting a backhand winner down the line, just inside the
baseline, but Marion didn't even try to run. 15/15. Marion backhand
long. 30/15. Marion netted a tame forehand. 40/15. Henin netted a
sliced backhand, but the one she hit before that certainly looked
vicious enough to trouble Marion. 40/30. Marion backhand return long.

Marion serving 0-1: Serve out wide + crosscourt backhand + crosscourt
forehand winner - great spreading! 15/0. Henin crosscourt backhand
winner - again, Marion looked very immobile. 15/15. Marion opened up
the court with a crosscourt backhand, and hit a pinpoint backhand
winner down the line. Virginia Wade: "Seles-like: really pinning down
the ball and stretching out the opponent." 30/15. Service-winner down
the middle. 40/15. Henin came to the net, forcing Marion to hit a
forehand lob long. Sam Smith: "Constant pressure, constant advances."
40/30. Marion backhand just long, but it looked good to me! 40/40.
Henin forehand drop-volley winner. Ad Henin (BP). Henin netted a
backhand return. Deuce #2. Marion, driven wide, netted a forehand.
Virginia Wade: "Playing with two hands on both sides is that much
harder to cover the court." Ad Henin (BP #2). Marion netted a
forehand to give Henin the first break.

Henin serving 2-0: Marion hit a forehand long after running down a
short ball. 15/0. Marion hit a wild forehand into the net, and it
would have been wide. 30/0. Serve out wide + off-forehand winner
forced Marion to hit a backhand lob wide. Sam Smith: "Making it look
so simple; high levels of concentration." 40/0. Henin hit a deep,
error-forcing forehand down the line.

Marion serving 0-3: Deep service-winner out wide. 15/0. Henin hit a
backhand volley-winner after a long rally in which the netcord took
the sting out of what would have been a backhand winner down the line
for Marion on the third stroke. 30/0. Henin backhand long. 30/15.
Marion netted a forehand. 30/30. Marion's crosscourt forehand induced
Henin to spray a forehand wide. 40/30. Marion hit a fantastic short-
angled crosscourt forehand just inside the sideline, forcing Henin to
hit a defensive forehand lob long.

Virginia Wade: "Bartoli doesn't quite hit the ball as early as
Monica. It's a terrible match-up against Henin, in terms of their
styles of play on a grass-court."

Henin serving 3-1: Henin ripped a crosscourt backhand winner. 15/0.
Second serve: Marion crosscourt backhand return just wide. 30/0.
Serve forced a weak lob-return; Henin off-forehand winner. 40/0.
Marion hit a great crosscourt forehand winner just inside the
sideline. 40/15. Marion backhand return wide.

Virginia Wade noted Marion's aggressive returns, and said she used to
stand just behind the service-line to receive!

Marion serving 1-4: Henin forehand return-winner down the line.
Virginia Wade: "She doesn't recover quickly enough after she hits her
serve." 0/15. Henin sprayed a forehand wide. 15/15. Marion hit a hard
crosscourt backhand just inside the sideline, forcing Henin to earth
a backhand. 30/15. Henin, driven wide, hit an amazing short-angled
crosscourt forehand winner. 30/30. Double fault (second serve just
long, just wide). 30/40 (BP). Henin ended a long rally with a
forehand winner down the line, and shouted "allez!"

Henin serving 5-1: Marion ran down a dropshot and nailed a crosscourt
backhand virtual pass-winner. 0/15. Marion netted a forehand. 15/15.
Marion hit a backhand pass wide off a deep forehand approach down the
line from Henin. 30/15. Henin forehand long. 30/30. Marion crosscourt
backhand + crosscourt forehand forced Henin to earth a forehand.
30/40 (BP). First serve in, hard backhand: Marion crosscourt forehand
just wide. 40/40. Service-winner. Ad Henin (SP #1). Ace down the
middle caught the outside edge of the centre-line.


Second set
----------
BARTO * * *____ 3
HENIN _* * *@*@ 6

Marion serving 0-0: Marion played a good spreading rally, culminating
with an off-forehand + crosscourt backhand winner. 15/0. Service-
winner down the middle. 30/0. Service-winner out wide. 40/0. Henin
forehand long (good deep forehand from Marion).

Henin serving 0-1: Marion sprayed a crosscourt backhand wide.
Virginia Wade: "Just not judging that variety of topspin from Henin."
15/0. Henin crosscourt backhand winner onto the sideline. 30/0. Henin
netted a forehand on the third stroke. 30/15. Double fault (second
serve into the net). 30/30. Service-winner down the middle. 40/30.
Henin forehand wide (pushed back on her heels by a deep return).
40/40. Marion netted a backhand off a short ball. Ad Henin. Marion
backhand wide.

Sam Smith: "Henin gets inside her opponents' heads. They find her so
difficult to play, they can't even do the /basics/ well."

Marion serving 1-1: Service-winner down the middle. 15/0. Service-
winner out wide (backhand return just long). 30/0. Henin hit
a "devilish" backhand half-volley dropshot-winner. 30/15. Service-
winner out wide. 40/15. Henin hit a forehand return halfway up the
net.

Virginia Wade [re. Marion]: "It's the footwork that lets her down.
Just doesn't get into position sometimes."

Henin serving 1-2: Marion netted a forehand return. 15/0. Henin came
to the net behind a sliced backhand; Marion netted a forehand pass.
30/0. Ace out wide. 40/0. Ace down the middle.

Virginia Wade: "Transitional play means getting a short ball and
approaching the net. It's sadly lacking in most of today's players,
and it really shows up on a grass-court if you don't have it."

Marion serving 2-2: After carefully maintaining the initiative that a
short ball from Henin gave her, Marion hit a backhand dropshot-winner
down the line. 15/0. Henin netted a backhand. 30/0. Marion backhand
long on the third stroke. 40/0. Henin netted a forehand. 40/15.
Marion netted a backhand off a low-bouncing sliced backhand from
Henin, but she really shouldn't have. 40/30. Marion drove Henin wide
with a crosscourt forehand, and Henin netted a forehand.

Virginia Wade (re. 30/0): "You don't want to be so careful that
you /push/ the ball, but you have to eliminate careless errors like
that."

Henin serving 2-3: Henin netted a backhand. 0/15. Marion hit an off-
backhand winner onto the sideline on the fourth stroke. 0/30. Henin's
crosscourt forehand made Marion stretch wide and net a
forehand. "Allez." 15/30. Marion went for a short-angled crosscourt
forehand winner, but it was just wide (and she hit a ball long
earlier in the rally, but it was not called). 30/30. Henin's
crosscourt backhand forced Marion to hit a backhand wide - Marion had
an open court with Henin stranded near the left netpost, but the ball
was just too difficult to control on the run. Marion emitted a little
squeak and sank to her knees. 40/30. Serve + crosscourt forehand
winner.

Marion serving 3-3: Marion backhand just long. 0/15. Henin netted a
backhand return. 15/15. Henin forced Marion to chop a backhand wide.
Virginia Wade [re. Marion]: "'A' for effort." 15/30. Marion netted a
forehand. 15/40 (2 BPs). Serve out wide but down-the-line backhand
wide. Henin scored the first break of the second set.

Henin serving 4-3: Service-winner. 15/0. Henin backhand smash long,
but she hit a vicious sliced backhand approach just before that!
15/15. Serve + off-backhand winner. 30/15. Henin forced a short ball,
pushed Marion to Marion's backhand-line, and hit an easy forehand
winner down Marion's unprotected forehand-line. 40/15. Serve +
forehand winner.

Marion serving 3-5: A deep crosscourt forehand return into the corner
forced Marion to net a forehand half-volley, which would also have
been wide. 0/15. Henin chipped & charged, forcing Marion to net a
forehand pass. 0/30. Henin sprayed a wild forehand very long. 15/30.
Double fault (second serve into the net). 15/40 (2 MPs). First serve
out wide: Henin netted a simple forehand return. 30/40 (MP #2).
Marion came to the net, but couldn't control a forehand volley,
hitting it just long & wide. Henin won 6-1 6-3.


Articles
--------

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1460
>>>
Henin, Mauresmo Set Up Wimbledon Rematch

World No.1 Henin was the first to advance to the championship-match,
dismissing No.8 seed Marion Bartoli in one minute shy of an hour:
6-1 6-3. The Belgian played dominant tennis from the outset to run
her lifetime-record against the Frenchwoman to 2:0, an impressive 77%
first-serve percentage and four service-breaks highlighting the stats.

"I haven't played too long the last few days, so this has been good
preparation," she said. "I feel better than last year at the same
time. I am still fresh. It was a big decision to come here and play.
I am getting better, I feel great on the court, and I am enjoying it.
I am happy with the matches I have had so far this week."
<<<

http://eastbourne.lta.org.uk/News/070622MauresmoHeninFinal.htm
>>>
Top seeds Justine Henin and Amélie Mauresmo set up a star-studded
final at the International Women's Open as they both racked up
comfortable semi-final victories.

World number one Henin was again in tremendous form as she ended the
impressive run of France's Marion Bartoli: 6-1 6-3.

She will now be bidding to become the first woman since Chanda Rubin
in 2002 and 2003 to lift the Eastbourne trophy in successive years.

Henin said: "I haven't played for too long the last few days, so this
has been good preparation for me. I feel better than last year at the
same time. I am still fresh. It was a big decision to come here and
play.

"I am getting better, I feel great on the court and I am enjoying it.
I am happy with the matches I have had.

"It will be perfect playing a strong opponent in the final, and it
will be a big test on this surface."
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

===============
Monica's memoir
===============

It looks like Monica is writing a follow-up to her 1996
autobiography, Monica: From Fear to Victory!

Former tennis-star Monica Seles writing memoir (AP, 19th March 2008)
>>>
Former tennis-great Monica Seles is working on a memoir.

She said in a statement on Wednesday that she hopes "to share how I
found balance, strength and happiness in my life after a
rollercoaster-ride of exhilarating accomplishment and sometimes
overwhelming tragedy."

The book, currently untitled, will be published in 2009 by Avery: an
imprint of Penguin Group (USA).

Seles, 34, won nine Grand Slam tournaments, and as a teenager was the
top-ranked women's player for three years in the early 1990s. But she
is also known for one of the sport's most bizarre and terrifying
incidents: in April 1993, at a tournament in Hamburg, Germany, she
was stabbed in the back by a man who climbed out of the stands.

Seles returned to the game 27 months later, and immediately reached
the 1995 US Open final. Her final Grand Slam title then came at the
1996 Australian Open. She did reach two more Major-finals, but was
hampered by a left-foot injury. Her last match was a first-round loss
at the 2003 French Open. She officially retired last month.

Seles, who has struggled with weight-problems, is currently a
contestant on the hit ABC series "Dancing with the Stars".

"After years of having every aspect of her training, diet and life
dictated and scrutinised by others, Monica took control, deciding
what she wanted from life, and set out to obtain it," her publisher,
Avery, said in a statement.

"Cutting through the fog of sadness, fear and frustration that made
Seles overweight and unhappy, today she looks and feels better than
ever, and has created a life in balance."
<<<

Seles To Write Memoir
By Tennis Week
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
>>>
Monica Seles closed one chapter of her life when she announced her
retirement from professional tennis on February 14. The nine-time
Grand Slam champion will author the next chapter of her life when she
puts her story into print.

The 34-year-old Seles has sold her memoir to Avery, an imprint of
Penguin Group (USA). The untitled project is scheduled for
publication in March 2009. The auction for world rights was conducted
by Dana Beck at Bill Adler Books.

Seles will explore her remarkable journey of brilliant tennis, fame,
tragedy, loss and self-discovery. After years of having every aspect
of her training, diet and life dictated and scrutinized by others,
Seles says she took control, deciding what she wanted from life and
set out to obtain it.

"On February 14th, I officially retired from professional tennis,
closing one chapter of my life," Seles said. "I'm now opening a new
chapter where I hope to share how I found balance, strength and
happiness in my life after a rollercoaster ride of exhilarating
accomplishment and sometimes overwhelming tragedy. Avery is giving me
the opportunity to put this journey in words, and I'm thrilled to be
working with them."

John Steele, Senior Vice President at IMG, who represents Seles in
her non-tennis activities, added, "Since Monica won the French Open
at age 16, she has been living in the public spotlight but she has
never really discussed the struggles that went along with all the
victories. It will be both a remarkable read and a motivating story
of finding health and happiness."
<<<

Game, Set, Book: Monica Seles to Pen Memoir (19th March 2008)
www.onthebaseline.com
>>>
When Monica Seles announced her official retirement from tennis last
month, she closed the book on her storied but turbulent life as a
professional tennis-player.

Now that the final chapter of her career has been written, Seles
plans to publish her memoirs.

In this inspiring and revealing memoir, Seles will explore her
remarkable journey of brilliant tennis, fame, tragedy, loss and self-
discovery. After years of having every aspect of her training, diet
and life dictated and scrutinised by others, Monica took control,
deciding what she wanted from life and set out to obtain it.

Cutting through the fog of sadness, fear and frustration that made
Seles overweight and unhappy, today she looks and feels better than
ever and has created a life in balance.

Seles has sold her autobiography to Avery, an imprint of Penguin
Group (USA).

"On February 14th, I officially retired from professional tennis,
closing one chapter of my life," said Seles.

"I'm now opening a new chapter where I hope to share how I found
balance, strength and happiness in my life after a rollercoaster-ride
of exhilarating accomplishment and sometimes overwhelming tragedy.
Avery is giving me the opportunity to put this journey in words, and
I'm thrilled to be working with them."

John Steele, Senior Vice President at IMG, who represents Seles in
her non-tennis activities, added, "Since Monica won the French Open
at age 16, she has been living in the public spotlight, but she has
never really discussed the struggles that went along with all the
victories. It will be both a remarkable read and a motivating story
of finding health and happiness."

The untitled project is scheduled for publication in March 2009.
<<<

======================
Dancing with the Stars
======================

For those of you who want to see Monica on _Dancing with the Stars_,
there are some online videos:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ysrycq (Monica the dancer)
http://preview.tinyurl.com/25nfjv (Monica's mango)

Monica is the only - and therefore the greatest - dancer I have ever
seen. Well, actually I did see a promising young dancer named Iva
Majoli on Youtube from the Croatian version of DwtS last year: Iva
has nice long legs, but I prefer watching Monica dance because what
she brings to it is that great innocent humour of hers that makes me
laugh. And Monica is the best-looking 34-year-old I have ever seen.

Monica may have been the first to be voted off DwtS after only two
rounds, scoring only a third of the possible marks, but I don't care
about the results. What matters is that she gave us something to make
up for the crushing blow of her retirement, at a time when we had
hoped her to be playing Miami.

I find it ironic that Monica has switched to dancing after a stress-
fracture in her left foot ended her tennis-career. I never would have
thought that tennis actually required better footwork than dancing!

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selesians/

Rowland wrote:
>
> The man who stabbed her (Gunter Parche) should have been punished -
> a two year suspended sentence is no punishment at all. It would have
> been better if he had been hanged.

I think a life-sentence in prison would have been commensurate with
Günther Parche's crime. Prison is a life-threatening place anyway, if
the one in Home and Away is anything to go by!

I do not believe in capital punishment, because it is a blatant
violation of the Fifth Commandment. Saddam Hussein did some pretty
bad things in his time, but his hanging was the cowardly murder of a
helpless old man.

The only circumstance in which it is acceptable to take a human life
is when someone is too dangerous to be left alive. An example might
be the Home-and-Away character Johnny Cooper. He was the leader of a
violent gang and a complete nightmare of a guy, but when he went to
prison, he became even more dangerous, as he was extremely well-
connected, and could order murders by his gang-members on the outside.

Then he escaped from prison and stabbed Sally Fletcher for the second
time! She had previously been stabbed by Johnny's brother Rocco, who
had then been murdered on Johnny's orders for his failure to finish
the job. And her foster-son Ric was wrongly convicted of Rocco's
murder and sent to prison, where he was seconds away from being
murdered by Johnny when he was set free!

I must say that Home and Away's portrayal of the aftermath of Sally's
stabbings was completely unrealistic - she showed barely a glimpse of
the trauma that Monica went through, and was completely blasé about
her security after she heard that Johnny had escaped from prison and
was coming to get her.

Johnny is still at large where UK Channel Five is up to in Home and
Away.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

===========
DFS CLASSIC (Edgbaston, Birmingham, England; grass; WTA Tier III)
=========== http://birmingham.lta.org.uk/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Second-round eyewitness report: Bartoli v Cavaday
3. Third-round result
4. Quarter-final eyewitness report: Bartoli v Hantuchová
5. Semi-final eyewitness report: Sharapova v Bartoli

---------
1. Photos
---------

Permission to copy my Birmingham photos is granted provided that:
(a) no money is exchanged;
(b) they are labelled as "Copyright 2007 Andrew Broad".
Please let me know if you do use them on another website.

I have uploaded all the photos I took at Birmingham 2007, in one big
zip-file, to:
MON: http://www.divshare.com/download/1002277-6f8 (0 of Marion)
TUE: http://www.divshare.com/download/1012525-599 (0 of Marion)
WED: http://www.divshare.com/download/1031004-107 (6 of Marion)
THU: no play due to rain
FRI: http://www.divshare.com/download/1043659-219 (6 of Marion)
SAT: http://www.divshare.com/download/1049942-b32 (28 of Marion)
SUN: http://www.divshare.com/download/1917585-f12 (21 of Marion)

----------------------------------------------------
2. Second-round eyewitness report: Bartoli v Cavaday
(Wednesday 13th June 2007)
----------------------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [5,S] d. Naomi Cavaday [WC], 6-3 6-1

Marion Bartoli has modelled her game faithfully on Monica Seles,
except that she's right-handed and she doesn't grunt. Recently, she's
taken to doing 'energy-bounces' before each serve, so I spent most of
the match trying to photograph one with her feet off the ground!
She also has a weird stance as she prepares to serve: she holds out
her racket as though preparing for a fencing-duel, with the fingers
on her (taped) right hand outstretched, then wraps them around her
racket-handle.

Marion is not very mobile, but she hit some fantastic Selesian
groundstrokes in this and other matches that I saw at Birmingham 2007.

Naomi Cavaday was a British wild card, and is left-handed.

The match was played on Centre Court, and started at 14:07.


First set
---------
BARTOLI @ @* * *@ 6
CAVADAY _@__* *__ 3

Cavaday serving 0-0: A long rally ended with Marion threading a
pinpoint backhand pass-winner down the line. 0/15. Cavaday backhand
winner down the line on the third stroke. 15/15. Double fault (second
serve hit the netcord and fell long). 15/30. Cavaday netted a
forehand. 15/40 (2 BPs). Marion broke with a crosscourt forehand
winner.

Marion serving 1-0: Double fault (second serve into the net). 0/15.
Marion netted a backhand. 0/30. Cavaday backhand long. 15/30. Cavaday
exploited Marion's lack of mobility with a short-angled crosscourt
forehand winner. 15/40 (2 BPs). Cavaday broke back with a forehand
winner down the line - off a weak, high ball from Marion.

Cavaday serving 1-1: Double fault (second serve into the net). 0/15.
Cavaday forehand wide. 0/30. Ace out wide. 15/30. Cavaday crosscourt
forehand winner. 30/30. Marion netted a backhand return. 40/30.
Cavaday forehand very long. 40/40. Cavaday netted a forehand.
Ad Marion (BP). Marion earthed a backhand. Deuce #2. Cavaday forehand
long. Ad Marion (BP #2). Cavaday hit a backhand just long to
reinstate Marion's break.

Marion serving 2-1: Serve out wide + crosscourt backhand winner onto
the sideline. 15/0. Marion came to the net behind a deep approach,
forcing Cavaday to hit a forehand long. 30/0. Marion crosscourt
backhand winner, just inside the sideline. 40/0. Marion backhand
long. 40/15. Marion netted a backhand. 40/30. Cavaday forehand winner
down the line. 40/40. Marion backhand volley-winner after some good
retrieving by Cavaday. Ad Marion. Ace out wide.

Cavaday serving 1-3: Marion backhand winner down the line. 0/15.
Cavaday hit an off-forehand winner that caught the outside edge of
the sideline. 15/15. Cavaday forehand wide. 15/30. Cavaday forced a
short ball, and hit a crosscourt forehand winner. 30/30. Cavaday
forehand dead-netcord winner. 40/30. Marion's depth forced Cavaday to
hit a backhand lob long. 40/40. Cavaday's forehand pass down the line
forced Marion to earth a forehand volley. Ad Cavaday. She forced a
short ball, and hit an off-backhand winner behind Marion.

Marion serving 3-2: A crosscourt forehand return on the sideline
forced Marion to hit a forehand wide. 0/15. Cavaday netted a sliced
forehand. 15/15. A low-bouncing return forced Marion to hit a
backhand wide. 30/30. Marion's depth forced Cavaday to net a
backhand. 40/30. Wild forehand return very long.

Cavaday serving 2-4: Cavaday forehand volley-winner. 15/0. Cavaday
forehand winner down the line. 30/0. Marion crosscourt forehand
return-winner. 30/15. Marion netted a forehand return. 40/15.
Backhand return long.

Marion serving 4-3: Marion netted a forehand on the third stroke.
0/15. Marion crosscourt backhand + crosscourt forehand forced Cavaday
to hit a forehand lob wide. 15/15. Cavaday netted a forehand return.
30/15. Ace out wide. 40/15. Ace out wide, ľ up the sideline and just
inside it.

Cavaday serving 3-5: Cavaday came to the net, but Marion took the
initiative with a ball to Cavaday's feet, then hit a down-the-line
backhand pass that forced Cavaday to hit a forehand volley wide.
0/15. Cavaday netted a forehand. 0/30. Marion crosscourt backhand
dropshot-winner. 0/40 (3 SPs). Ace down the middle called long.
Second serve: Marion hit a crosscourt backhand return-winner just
inside the sideline. Marion won the first set 6-3 at 14:46 (39m).


Second set
----------
BARTOLI *@* *@* 6
CAVADAY ___*___ 1

Marion serving 0-0: A good serve forced a short return; Marion
crosscourt forehand winner. 15/0. Cavaday netted a forehand. 30/0.
Serve out wide + off-forehand winner. 40/0. Ace out wide.

Cavaday serving 0-1: Cavaday netted a backhand on the third stroke.
0/15. Cavaday netted a forehand. 0/30. A deep backhand return forced
Cavaday to net a forehand. 0/40 (3 BPs). Cavaday hit a backhand very
long to put Marion a set and a break up.

Marion serving 2-0: Cavaday netted a backhand return. 15/0. Ace out
wide. 30/0. Service-winner: Cavaday backhand lob-return long. 40/0.
Ace out wide, on the sideline.

Cavaday serving 0-3: Forehand return wide. 15/0. Cavaday hit a
pinpoint forehand winner down the line, just inside the sideline.
30/0. Ace down the middle, just inside the centre-line. 40/0. Cavaday
sprayed a forehand wide. 40/15. Cavaday forehand wide. 40/30. Cavaday
hit a jousy forehand volley-winner onto the baseline.

Marion serving 3-1: Marion's forehand down the line forced Cavaday to
earth a forehand. 15/0. Ace out wide, on the service-line. 30/0.
Serve out wide + forehand winner down the line. 40/0. Ace out wide,
in the corner. Raindrops?

Cavaday serving 1-4: Cavaday sprayed a backhand wide of the
tramlines. 0/15. Cavaday forehand long & wide. 0/30. It was windy
now, and Cavaday hit a forehand long. 0/40 (3 BPs). Marion crosscourt
backhand return-winner.

Marion serving 5-1: Marion off-forehand winner. 15/0. Marion forehand
very long. 15/15. Cavaday forehand long. 30/15. Cavaday backhand
wide. 40/15. Service-winner down the middle: Cavaday's forehand
return flew backwards into Stand D. Marion won 6-3 6-1 at 15:10
(second set 24m, match 1h03m).


Cavaday quotes
--------------

"There is a huge gap between players 16 to 20 in the world and those
around the top 60. She was obviously a lot tougher than Bardina, and
I didn't perform to my best, but there are a lot of positives I can
take into my next couple of tournaments.

"The first set was competitive; even though I was not serving well, I
thought I moved well, and the things I have been working on came into
play out there. I definitely need the public to be patient with me
now. There is no quick fix. I am relatively young in tennis-terms,
and I have not got the experience that everyone else in the draw has."


http://birmingham.lta.org.uk/News/070613Stars.htm
>>>
After a promising first set, British No.4 Naomi Cavaday lost to No.5
seed Marion Bartoli (FRA) in the second round of the Birmingham
tournament, 6-3 6-1. With her serve off the boil, Cavaday struggled
against her opponent, ranked 223 places above her in the world, but
was upbeat following the match.

"I think I ran well, moved well, a lot of things I've been working on
I put into play today against such highly-ranked opposition, so I was
really happy with that performance."

And the Brit paid tribute to a supportive centre-court crowd.
"To have the opportunity to compete in this type of tournament is
fantastic. Home-crowd, centre court, it was really great fun. I
wasn't feeling nervous. I enjoy it. Everyone's on my side. How can
that be a bad thing?"
<<<

---------------------
3. Third-round result (Friday 15th June 2007)
---------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [5,S] d. Angelique Kerber, 6-2 6-0

I didn't watch this match properly, because my attention was divided
between this on Court 3 and Yuliana Fedak's match against Li,Na on
Court 4; I then had to walk out on both of them in order to watch
Maria Kirilenko play Jelena Jankovic in the match of the day on
Centre Court.

--------------------------------------------------------
4. Quarter-final eyewitness report: Bartoli v Hantuchová
(Saturday 16th/Sunday 17th June 2007)
--------------------------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [5,S] d. DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [3,EF], 5-7 6-4 7-5

A frustrating match for me as a Daniela-fan, because I believe that
Daniela is even more talented than Marion, especially on grass
(I wrote this before Marion went on to reach the Wimbledon-final!),
but she failed to impose herself at the right times.

Indeed, Daniela started the match like she was going to sweep Marion
aside, winning the first six points of the match to go 1-0* (30/0)
up. But after squandering two break-points at 15/40 in that game, it
was Marion who broke first to go *3-2 up. Marion took an off-court
medical time-out when she was about to serve for the first set at
5-4. She resumed with two double faults as Daniela reeled off the
next three games to take the first set.

Daniela was broken in the first game of the second set, and then just
couldn't make any impression on Marion's serve as Marion clung to
that break like a limpet. Marion is a Selesian player (two hands both
sides), and she hit plenty of groundstroke-winners throughout the
match, particularly crosscourt ones.

It was a high-quality match - unfortunately I can't say the same
about the view, as the first two sets were played on the very humble
setting of Court 4 after rain had caused a terrible backlog; the
match attracted a large crowd, and my decision to watch Alyona
Bondarenko v Jelena Jankovic beforehand cost me a seat by Court 4, so
I actually had to stand by Court 3 and watch the match from an angle
(it was actually scheduled for Court 3, which the rain had made
unplayable, so I had no idea when it was going to start).

By the end of the second set, it was getting cold, dark and slippery.
With Daniela facing break-point at 30/40 in the first game of the
third, both players stopped playing, went to the net, and after a
lengthy discussion with the officials, it was suspended overnight,
with both players agreeing to play the final on Sunday should the
winner happen to defeat Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals.

The third set resumed on Centre Court on Sunday, and both players
were pretty nervous. Marion did convert that break-point, and was
never behind in the game-score, though she did look very choky when
serving for the match at 5-4. But instead of seizing the momentum,
Daniela helped Marion on her way to the semi-finals with some cheap
errors in the last two games.

My full match-report, with a description of every point, can be found
at...
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/hantu/birmingham2007.html

----------------------------------------------------
5. Semi-final eyewitness report: Sharapova v Bartoli
(Sunday 17th June 2007)
----------------------------------------------------

+ MARIA SHARAPOVA [1,EF] d. MARION BARTOLI [5,S], 7-5 6-0

The first set was anything but straightforward, as play was held up
for 34 minutes with MariA leading 3-2*, as a woman in Stand C had a
very nasty fall and had to be airlifted to hospital, and then an
elderly man sitting right in front of me in Stand D fainted in the 18°
C heat and had to be removed by trained first-aiders!

Play resumed once both those casualties had been removed from the
stadium, but the helicopter-ambulance didn't actually arrive until
4-4 (30/15), whereupon MariA lost the next three points; thus MariON
served for the first set at 5-4.

But MariON, who had choked dramatically when she served for the match
at 5-4 in the third set against Daniela Hantuchová two hours earlier,
threw in two consecutive double faults, and MariA won every game left
in the match.

My full match-report, with a description of every point, can be found
at...
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/shara/birmingham2007.html

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selesians/

andrewbroad <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Here is an interview with Monica Seles from 1993 - four months after
> the Stabbing:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMD1ef2lK_0 (Part 1: 10 minutes)
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJyAEVxrzpQ (Part 2: 4 minutes)

Thanks Andrew.  Monica was really beautiful when she was young.

The interview mentions the all sorts of trivial attacks on Monica made
in the press; my guess is that these attacks did not just happen;
press stories are easily planted if you are in the sports management
business.

It mentions how Monica was told that she must not grunt at Wimbledon
in 1992  Telling Monica that she should not 'grunt' when playing was
completely unfair.  It would be like telling the Williams sisters that
their use of their left leg was disturbing people, so please could
they hop on one leg.  (See the following 1992 New York Times article)
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDB1030F93AA25754C0A96495826\
0

The man who stabbed her (Gunter Parche) should have been punished - a
two year suspended sentence is no punishment at all.  It would have
been better if he had been hanged.

Here is an interview with Monica Seles from 1993 - four months after
the Stabbing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMD1ef2lK_0 (Part 1: 10 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJyAEVxrzpQ (Part 2: 4 minutes)

It's an 'unputdownable' video, although it does reopen old wounds.
Monica talks about her plans for a comeback (she hadn't even hit a
ball since the Stabbing), and that she's upset that her fellow
players voted not to freeze her #1 ranking until she came back.

Monica looks so young and cute in the video, and it's very moving to
see how traumatised she is, despite putting on a brave face for the
interview.

It's a video that everyone should watch.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: Fourth-round result

---------
1. Photos
---------

Search Getty Images for "hsieh su wei"

---------------------------------------
2. Women's Singles: Fourth-round result (Sunday 20th January)
---------------------------------------

- Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] lt. JUSTINE HENIN [1], 2-6 2-6

DOUBLE TROUBLE
By Neil Frankland: AP Sports Writer
>>>
The double-handed forehand-backhand combination made famous by former
No. 1 Monica Seles could be on the way back thanks to an Asian
revival.

Hsieh Su-wei used it to great effect this week to become the first
Taiwanese player to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam, before
losing to top ranked Justine Henin: 6-2 6-2.

Henin said the tennis-world can expect more of the double-handed play
to come.

"Players from Asia, they all play the same way. Very talented, good
hands, like Seles had in the past," Henin said. "I think we're going
to see this kind of game more often probably in the future. With
Beijing this year, the Olympic Games, they're all coming pretty
strong."

The Belgian said there was plenty to be said for the technique.

"They can really have a very good defense with a lot of angles," she
said. "(But) when you play fast and long, you know, they don't have
too much time to change their grip."
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

Eleven days after Monica announced her retirement, another both-hands-
ways player followed suit. :-(

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

Seles calls time on tennis-career [CEEFAX 480->485]
>>>
Former world number one Monica Seles has announced her official
retirement from tennis.

The 34-year-old won nine Grand Slam singles-titles in her career, but
has not played competitively since June 2003 because of a foot-injury.

Seles won her first Grand Slam title in 1990 at the age of just 16,
and topped the rankings the following year.

In a horrifying event in April 1993, she was stabbed on court and
spent 28 months away from the sport.
<<<

Star Seles calls time on her career [Teletext 495->497]
>>>
Seles calls it a day [Teletext 497]

Former world No 1 Monica Seles has called time on her professional
career.

The 34-year-old nine-time Grand Slam winner, who was stabbed in the
back by a spectator during a match in 1993, had not played on the WTA
Tour since sustaining a foot-injury in 2003.

The American will continue to play in exhibitions, but said: "I
considered a return to professional play, but I have now decided not
to pursue that."
<<<

Seles Announces Retirement From Professional Tennis
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=2045
>>>
She was so good at such a young age, taking the power-game to a whole
new level and displaying nerves of steel on the biggest stages. And
when she returned to the game, she inspired a generation of players
and fans all over again. Be it through her style, her resilience or
her smile, she has been one of the most popular players in tennis-
history. And on 14th February 2008, Monica Seles announced her
retirement from the sport.

Seles's rise to fame is well-documented: born in the former
Yugoslavia, she relocated to America with her family in 1986 to train
at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where she practised for two years
before starting to play the WTA Tour. Her style of play - powerful
two-handed groundstrokes on both sides, acute angles and returning
serve from inside the baseline - was a novelty at the time and took
her to the very top of the game very quickly, as she became the
youngest Roland Garros champion in history in 1990 (at 16 years, 6
months) and, at the time, the youngest No.1 in history on 11th March
1991 (at 17 years, 3 months - since passed by Martina Hingis). She
dominated the Tour for the next two years, winning seven more Majors
and finishing at No.1 in 1991 and 1992.

Seles made an inspirational and successful comeback to tennis in the
summer of 1995, winning her 33rd career-title in Toronto and making
it all the way to the final of the US Open before falling in three
exciting sets to one of her greatest rivals: then-No.1 Steffi Graf.
Although she won only one Major after her return - the Australian
Open in 1996, her ninth - Seles was still one of the very best
throughout those comeback-years, ranking in the Top 10 for all but
four weeks between 14th August 1995 and 17th March 2003, building her
career title-haul up to 53, and notching wins over the players that
were winning all of those Majors at the time - including Hingis,
Lindsay Davenport, both Williams sisters and Jennifer Capriati. Her
last Major final came at Roland Garros in 1998 - just three weeks
after the death of her father, Karolj, who had been her coach since
the beginning.

Seles' last season on the Tour came in 2003, her best finishes being
finals at Tokyo [Pan Pacific] and Dubai, losing competitive three-set
matches both times to Davenport and Henin, respectively. She withdrew
from all tournaments after Roland Garros due to a left-foot injury,
and over the next few years would keep to exhibition-play, not ruling
out a comeback to the Tour - until now.

Monica Seles: "Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my
life. I have for some time considered a return to professional play,
but I have now decided not to pursue that. I will continue to play
exhibitions, participate in charity-events and promote the sport, but
will no longer plan my schedule around the WTA Tour. I look forward
to pursuing other opportunities with the same passion and energy that
fuelled my dedication to tennis, and to devoting more time to two of
my passions: children and animals. I especially want to thank all my
wonderful, loyal fans for all of their support for me over the years.
They have inspired me throughout my career in the good times and
comforted me in the bad times. I have always been so proud to have
such a special group of precious fans to call my very own, and felt
they were the best an athlete could ever hope to have. I will miss
them all as much as I will miss competing in the game of tennis."

Larry Scott (Chairman & CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour): "Monica
Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the WTA Tour,
and an inspiration and role-model for millions of fans throughout the
world. No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to
win that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person
that she has always been off the court. Fans of women's tennis have
no shortage of fond Monica-memories, and of amazing matches and
rivalries that Monica was a part of. No doubt, Monica will soon find
her rightful place at the International Tennis Hall of Fame for her
many accomplishments on the tennis-court."

Send a goodbye message to Monica by clicking here [see original
article for link].

Also among Seles' career-accomplishments are:
* Holding nine Grand Slam singles titles (four at Australian Open,
three at Roland Garros, two at US Open); last one was 1996 Australian
Open; last time reaching Grand Slam final was 1998 Roland Garros
(just three weeks after father's death - finished runner-up to
Sánchez-Vicario); last one played was 2003 Roland Garros (lost first
round to Nadia Petrova - was last match played).
* Youngest-ever winner of Roland Garros (16 years, 6 months).
* Youngest-ever winner of Tour Championships (16 years, 11 months).
* Holding 53 career Tour singles-titles (ninth-most all-time).
* Holding No.1 for 178 non-consecutive weeks (fifth-most all-time);
rose to No.1 for first time on 11th March 1991, becoming youngest-
ever at the time (now second-youngest, passed by Hingis); year-end
No.1 twice (1991, 1992).
* Earning $14,891,762 in career prize-money (ninth all-time).
* Member of winning American Fed Cup Teams in 1996, 1999 and 2000.
* Winning seven of eight Grand Slams contested prior to 1993 stabbing.
<<<

http://tennis.com/news/ticker.aspx
>>>
Monica Seles has announced her retirement from tennis.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life. I have
for some time considered a return to professional play, but I have
now decided not to pursue that," Seles said in a statement. "I will
continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity-events, promote
the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the Tour. I
look forward to pursuing other opportunities with the same passion
and energy that fuelled my dedication to tennis and to devote more
time to two of my passions: children and animals.

"I especially want to thank all my wonderful, loyal fans for all of
their support for me over the years. They have inspired me throughout
my career in the good times and comforted me in the bad times. I have
always been so proud to have such a special group of precious fans to
call my very own, and felt they were the best an athlete could ever
hope to have. I will miss them all as much as I will miss competing
in the game of tennis."

Seles' last match was at the French Open in 2003.

In a statement, WTA CEO Larry Scott said: "Monica Seles is one of the
great champions in the history of the WTA Tour, and an inspiration
and role-model for millions of fans throughout the world. No one will
ever forget the fierce determination and will to win that Monica
brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that she has
always been off the court. Fans of women's tennis have no shortage of
fond Monica-memories, and of amazing matches and rivalries that
Monica was a part of. No doubt, Monica will soon find her rightful
place at the International Tennis Hall of Fame for her many
accomplishments on the tennis-court."
<<<

Seles officially retires from tennis (AP)
>>>
Monica Seles officially retired from tennis on Thursday - five years
after she played the last match of a career that included nine Grand
Slam singles-titles and was interrupted at its height when she was
stabbed in the back during a match.

"I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I
have now decided not to pursue that," the 34-year-old Seles said in a
statement released by her agent. "I will continue to play
exhibitions, participate in charity-events, promote the sport, but
will no longer plan my schedule around the Tour."

Playing two-handed strokes off both wings that were accompanied by
two-note grunts, Seles won a total of 53 singles-titles and first
rose to No. 1 in March 1991. She was 17: at the time, the youngest
woman to have topped the rankings.

By the time she was 19, Seles earned eight Major championships.

But in April 1993, at a tournament in Hamburg, Germany, she was
attacked by a man who climbed out of the stands.

Seles returned to the game 27 months later and immediately reached
the 1995 US Open final. Her final Grand Slam title then came at the
1996 Australian Open.

She did reach two more Major finals, but hampered by a left-foot
injury, her last match was a first-round loss at the 2003 French Open.

Thinking she might try to come back at some point, Seles never did
say she was retired. And her legion of fans, drawn in as much by her
engaging personality and giggle off the court as her game on it, held
out hope of a return.

"No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win
that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that
she has always been off the court," WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said.

"Fans of women's tennis have no shortage of fond Monica-memories, and
of amazing matches and rivalries that Monica was a part of. No doubt,
Monica will soon find her rightful place at the International Tennis
Hall of Fame for her many accomplishments on the tennis-court."
<<<

Seles announces retirement (PA SportsTicker)
>>>
Monica Seles on Thursday announced her official retirement from
professional tennis, ending one of the most storied careers in the
sport.

Seles, 34, won 53 singles- and six doubles-tournaments, earning nine
Grand Slam titles along the way. She first became No. 1 in the world
in March 1991, and held the top ranking for 178 weeks over the next
two years - the youngest No. 1 ever at the time.

"Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the WTA
Tour, and an inspiration and role-model for millions of fans
throughout the world," CEO of the WTA Tour Larry Scott said.

"No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win
that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that
she has always been off the court."

Tragedy struck Seles in April 1993, when she was stabbed in the back
during a match in Hamburg, Germany. She was not able to play again
for more than two years.

When she did return, she posted a stirring comeback win at the
Canadian Open, then reached the US Open final the following month.
Remarkably, she then won her ninth Grand Slam title at the Australian
Open in January 1996.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life," said
Seles in a statement. "I have for some time considered a return to
professional play, but I have now decided not to pursue that."

In the spring of 2003, Seles sustained a foot-injury that sidelined
her from the WTA Tour. In February 2005, she lost two exhibition-
matches in New Zealand against Martina Navrátilová.

In December, Seles said that Lindsay Davenport's successful return to
the Tour after pregnancy inspired her to consider her own limited
comeback to play Grand Slam tournaments and the major warm-up events
for those tournaments.

"I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity-events,
promote the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the
Tour," Seles said. "I look forward to pursuing other opportunities
with the same passion and energy that fuelled my dedication to
tennis, and to devote more time to two of my passions: children and
animals.

"I especially want to thank all my wonderful, loyal fans for all of
their support for me over the years. They have inspired me throughout
my career in the good times and comforted me in the bad times. I will
miss them all as much as I will miss competing in the game of tennis."
<<<

American Monica Seles retires from tennis (AFP)
>>>
Nine-time Grand Slam winner Monica Seles announced her retirement
from competitive tennis on Thursday.

The announcement ends one of the most glorious careers in the sport
as the 34-year-old won 53 singles-titles and six doubles-tournaments.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life," Seles
said. "I have for some time considered a return to professional play,
but I have now decided not to pursue that."

She first became No 1 in the world in March 1991, and held the top
ranking for 178 weeks over the next two years.

Seles was born in the former Yugoslavia, and became a naturalised
United States citizen in 1994.

Tragedy struck Seles in April 1993, when she was stabbed in the back
during a match in Hamburg, Germany. She was not able to play again
for more than two years.

When she did return, she posted a dynamic comeback win at the
Canadian Open, then reached the US Open final the following month.

She then won her ninth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in
January 1996.

In the spring of 2003, Seles sustained a foot-injury that sidelined
her from the WTA Tour.

"Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the WTA
Tour, and an inspiration and role-model for millions of fans
throughout the world," WTA Tour chief executive Larry Scott said.

"No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win
that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that
she has always been off the court."

In December, Seles said that Lindsay Davenport's successful return to
the Tour after pregnancy inspired her to consider her own limited
comeback to play Grand Slam tournaments and the major warm-up events
for those tournaments.

"I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity-events,
promote the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the
Tour," Seles said. "I look forward to pursuing other opportunities
with the same passion and energy that fuelled my dedication to
tennis, and to devote more time to two of my passions: children and
animals.

"I especially want to thank all my wonderful, loyal fans for all of
their support for me over the years.

"They have inspired me throughout my career in the good times and
comforted me in the bad times.

"I will miss them all as much as I will miss competing in the game of
tennis."
<<<

Seles announces official retirement (Reuters)
(Reporting by Simon Evans and Larry Fine; editing by Ed Osmond)
>>>
Former world number one Monica Seles announced her official
retirement from professional tennis at the age of 34 on Thursday -
nearly five years since she last played.

Seles won nine Grand Slam singles-titles and 53 tournaments in her
career. She had not played competitively since the 2003 French Open
but, plagued by a succession of foot-injuries, had tried to launch
several comebacks.

"I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I
have now decided not to pursue that," Seles said in a statement
released by her manager and published on the WTA Tour website
<http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com>.

The native Yugoslav won her first Grand Slam at the 1990 French Open
and became world number one in 1991, staying top of the rankings
until April 1993, when she was stabbed during a match in Hamburg,
Germany.

She did not play again for more than two years, but she made a swift
impact on her return, winning the Canadian Open and Australian Open
as well as reaching the US Open final.

Seles, who became a US citizen in 1994, played her final match at the
2003 French Open, where she suffered a first-round loss to Nadia
Petrova.

She had struggled with foot-injuries for years, but chose not to
undergo surgery, hoping the stress-fractures would heal naturally.

In 2004 she competed in World TeamTennis, but lost heavily to players
she would have beaten easily in her prime.

Larry Scott, CEO of the WTA Tour, paid tribute to Seles.

"Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the WTA
Tour, and an inspiration and role-model for millions of fans
throughout the world.

"No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win
that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that
she has always been off the court," he said in a statement.

Seles claimed a major haul of four Australian, three French and two
US Open titles.
<<<

Seles finally gives up on reviving former glories (Reuters)
>>>
Monica Seles's brilliant career, disrupted by a stabbing and cut
short by injury, ended quietly on Thursday.

The former world number one may never have fully recovered from being
stabbed by a spectator during a match in 1993, but it was injuries
that stopped her making a comeback, as well as a stubborn refusal to
return at a level below her best.

Seles, 34, last played a competitive match at the 2003 French Open,
but thoughts of a comeback were never far from her mind.

"My personal theory is: if you're retired, you're retired," she told
the Houston Chronicle last year. "You don't come back. And I don't
feel like I'm ready to say that.

"I'm in such good shape. I only wish I was in this good a shape when
I was playing. It's hard to accept that just because of an injury,
you're finished."

Equally hard to accept was the fear that she may return to the court
a pale shadow of her former self.

Lindsay Davenport, another former world number one who made her own
comeback last year, said in 2005 that she did not expect Seles to
return because she would not accept lower standards.

"I think she loved her last year, and won't go out there and play
unless she's the good Monica that's everyone's used to," Davenport
said.

Perhaps Seles - world No. 1 for a total of 178 weeks - was right.

It would have been nearly impossible to recapture her former
brilliance, and her nine Grand Slam titles will ensure she is
remembered as one of the game's greatest players.

Born in the former Yugoslavia, Seles was among the pioneers along a
path that has proved lucrative for many young players from Eastern
Europe.

She moved to Florida as a schoolgirl and attended the Nick
Bollettieri Academy in Florida, which was later to be home to players
including Russian Maria Sharapova and Serbian Jelena Jankovic.

EXPLOSIVE START

Her early form on the WTA Tour was explosive, winning her first
tournament in Houston aged just 15 by beating multiple Grand Slam
winner Chris Evert in the final.

During a remarkable 1991, she reached the final of all 16 events she
entered, winning 10 including the Australian, French and US Opens.

Indisputably the best player in the world, and then the youngest to
reach the top of the rankings, Seles was rarely comfortable in the
media-spotlight.

Giggly in her teens, her infamous on-court grunt upset some fans, but
her grit, enthusiasm and superb two-handed groundstrokes won her
widespread admiration.

That turned to sympathy when German Günther Parche thrust a kitchen-
knife into her shoulders as she rested during a quarter-final match
at the Hamburg Open.

Parche - a fan of Seles's great rival Steffi Graf - received a
suspended two-year sentence, while Seles did not play for over two
years.

After becoming a US citizen in 1994, she won her first tournament
back: the 1995 Canadian Open.

With the mental trauma of her attack seemingly behind her, victory in
the 1996 Australian Open suggested that Seles's career might take off
again.

She regularly reached Grand Slam quarter-finals from 1997-2002, but
only once made the final, and nearly six years later, frustrated by a
succession of foot-injuries, Seles was finally forced to admit defeat.
<<<

Seles calls time on tennis-career
>>>
Former world number one Monica Seles has announced her official
retirement from tennis.

The 34-year-old won nine Grand Slam singles titles in her career, but
has not played competitively since June 2003 because of a foot-injury.

Seles won her first Grand Slam title in 1990 at the age of just 16,
and topped the world-rankings the following year.

In a horrifying event in April 1993, she was stabbed on court in
Germany and spent 28 months away from the sport.

After returning in 1995, Seles managed to win one final Grand Slam
title - the Australian Open in 1996 - finishing with a major haul of
four Australian, three French and two US Open titles.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life," said
Seles.

"I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I
have now decided not to pursue that."

She added: "I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in
charity-events, promote the sport, but will no longer plan my
schedule around the Tour.

"I look forward to pursuing other opportunities with the same passion
and energy that fuelled my dedication to tennis, and to devote more
time to two of my passions: children and animals.

"I especially want to thank all my wonderful, loyal fans for all of
their support for me over the years.

"They have inspired me throughout my career in the good times and
comforted me in the bad times.

"I will miss them all as much as I will miss competing in the game of
tennis."

Larry Scott, chief executive of the WTA Tour, said: "Monica Seles is
one of the great champions in the history of the WTA Tour.

"She is an inspiration and role-model for millions of fans throughout
the world."

The native Yugoslav became an American citizen in 1994, and talked of
a comeback just last year after spending over four years out of the
sport.

"I certainly would not ever be able to do a full schedule again,
because of the foot," she said in 2007.

"But I'm thinking about the Slams and about some of the better
tournaments that lead into them."
<<<

Former world number one Monica Seles (Reuters)
>>>
Factbox on former world number one Monica Seles, who officially
retired on Thursday.

Born 2nd December 1973 in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) to ethnic
Hungarian parents.

* After winning a junior-tournament in Florida, Seles and her family
move to the US, where Monica trains at the famous Nick Bollettieri
Tennis Academy.

* 1988: Makes professional début at Boca Raton in Florida - aged 14
years, three months. Loses in the second round to American Chris
Evert.

* 1989: As a 15-year-old unranked wildcard, she wins her first WTA
title in Houston, beating Evert in the final. She breaks into the top
10 in the world-rankings less than year after beginning her career.

* 1990: Seles finishes year at number two in the world after winning
36 singles-matches in a row, and six titles including the French
Open - her first Grand Slam victory.

* 1991: Tops the world-rankings after a remarkable year in which she
reached the final in all 16 events she entered, winning 10. Wins
Grand Slam titles at the Australian, French and US Opens, and defends
all three the following year (1992).

* 1993: Seles is stabbed in the back with a knife during a quarter-
final match at the Hamburg Open by a German man: Günther Parche: a
fan of German rival Steffi Graf. Seles does not play for 28 months.

* 1994: Becomes a US citizen (goes on to represent her adopted
country in the Fed Cup, winning it in 1996 and 2000).

* 1995: After more than two years out of action, Seles wins her first
tournament back: the Canadian Open. Wins her fourth Australian Open
in 1996 - her last Grand Slam title.

* 1999: Suffers stress-fracture to her right foot, and misses the
latter part of the year which she ends sixth in the rankings.

* 2003: An injury-ravaged season ends with Seles finishing outside of
top 10 for the first time. Suffers first-round exit at Roland Garros
at the hands of Russian Nadia Petrova - her last competitive
appearance.

* 2005: Plays two exhibition-series against Martina Navrátilová in
New Zealand - losing both games, but declaring herself ready to begin
the comeback-trail. Despite starting several training-programmes
aimed at a return, foot-problems keep Seles away from the court, and
she finally quits in February 2008.
<<<

Seles considering comeback (Pippa Davis for Eurosport, 13th December
2007)
>>>
Monica Seles has revealed she is considering a comeback to the WTA
Tour after watching Lindsay Davenport make a successful return since
giving birth to a son in June.

Seles has not played since the French Open in 2003 when she was
struggling with back and foot injuries. But the 34-year-old, who
still plays regularly with former world number ones Jennifer
Carpriati and Martina Navrátilová, has never formally retired and is
now eyeing a possible return to action in Miami next March.

"I still love to play. That has never lessened," Seles told the LA
Times. "What Lindsay did was just so cool.

"And what I know now, I wish I had known then. Like stretching more
before and after matches. You go out and win 6-3 6-1 and say that was
easy and you wouldn't stretch.

Seles, who was ranked as world number one in 1991 and 1992, won her
first Major at Roland Garros in 1990 before going on to win seven of
the next 11 Slams, despite not competing at Wimbledon in 1991.

But shortly after winning her third Australian Open title in 1993,
Seles was stabbed in the back by Günther Parche: a spectator who came
down from the stands during her quarter-final clash with Magdalena
Maleeva in Hamburg. Seles did not play again until August 1995, and
won only one more Grand Slam: in Australia in 1996.

"I guess I kind of had two tennis-careers," Seles continued. "And now
perhaps a third. I certainly would not ever be able to do a full
schedule again, because of the foot.

"But I'm thinking about the Slams and about some of the better
tournaments that lead into them. I won't decide for sure until the
beginning of the year and the Australian is certainly not possible.
But Miami. Maybe."
<<<

Champion Serena leaving nothing to chance (7th January 2008)
By Simon Cambers with editing by Rex Gowar (Reuters)
>>>
Victory at Melbourne Park would take her to nine Grand-Slam titles -
level with Monica Seles, Williams's hero growing up.

"That would be awesome," Williams said.

"She was definitely a big factor. I love her and I think she's a
great person. She was my favourite player."
<<<

Remember Her? WTA players who fell off the map
http://tennis.com/features/general/features.aspx?id=119078
>>>
MONICA SELES
------------

Career-high ranking: No. 1 (11th March 1991)
2007 year-end ranking: Unranked

WHAT HAPPENED: Going from teenage No. 1 to victim of an on-court
stabbing, Seles managed to return well enough to capture a ninth
Grand Slam, but could not quite recapture her previous form because
of struggles with injuries and fitness. Her last event was the French
Open in 2003, and even before that she had been injured most of the
year, earning only 10 wins.

OUTLOOK: Retired

After struggling with her feet for most of the last decade, Seles was
talking about a comeback as recently as the end of last year, but the
34-year-old made her retirement official this week.


[Other players in the full article: Dája Bedánová, Elena Bovina,
Jennifer Capriati, Jelena Dokic, Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Martina Hingis,
Sesil Karatantcheva, Anna Kournikova, Lina Krasnoroutskaya, Mirjana
Lucic, Anastasia Myskina, Mary Pierce, Chanda Rubin, Karolina Šprem,
Alexandra Stevenson and Iroda Tulyaganova]
<<<

It was at 07:44 GMT on the cold English morning of 15th February 2008
that I tuned into CEEFAX to see a headline announcing the retirement
of the greatest tennis-player of all time. (She actually announced
her retirement on 14th February - 19 years and one day after turning
pro.)

I have had almost five years to get used to the idea that Monica
Seles might have played her last-ever professional match on 27th May
2003, when, struggling with a long-term stress-fracture in her left
foot, the then-29-year-old lost to Nadia Petrova in the first round
of the French Open.

In those five years, Monica played a handful of exhibition-matches
(which she plans to continue doing in the future), and as long as she
hadn't announced her retirement, I still clung to the hope that she
might make one more comeback. Indeed, at the end of last year, she
announced plans to play the Super Tier I at Miami next month, and I
was really looking forward to that.

So to see the bad news there in cyan, black and white on CEEFAX made
me feel as though my guts had just been ripped out. For those first
few awful seconds, I actually felt like she had died rather than
merely retired.

It was Monica who made a tennis-fan of me back in 1992, and I'm proud
to say that I have always considered her my favourite player - and
until now, my favourite /active/ player.

Maria Sharapova has just inherited the honour of being my favourite
active player, and my Eternal Fanship currently stands as follows:

  1. Monica Seles (retired)
  2. Maria Sharapova
  3. Daniela Hantuchová
  4. Jelena Dokic
  5. Iva Majoli (retired)
  6. Karina Habšudová (retired)
  7. Iroda Tulyaganova
  8. Vera Zvonarëva
  9. Nicole Vaidišová
10. Anna Chakvetadze
11. Lucie Šafárová

I have always loved Monica for her two-handed forehands and
backhands, hit on the rise with phenomenal power - particularly for
the era of women's tennis in which she arrived, when even against
Steffi Graf the girls could get a breather by hitting to her
backhand. Nowadays, many women hit the ball hard, flat and early, but
there are few players who can equal the amazing angles Monica came up
with, or the way she dissected her opponents' games with the ruthless
precision of a chess-computer.

Monica is one of the great pioneers in tennis-history, and having
inspired a wonderful new generation of players, she leaves women's
tennis in a far better state than that in which she found it.

Monica's mental strength and intensity are legendary - it was often
said that she had a mind like a steel trap, which would snap shut as
soon as there was any defeat in her opponent. She had a loud, two-
tone grunt that is music to my ears!

On 30th April 1993, Monica was stabbed in the back at a changeover by
a rabid Graf-fan who could not bear to see his heroine usurped as
world #1 - the ranking Monica had held almost continuously since 11th
March 1991. At the time of the stabbing, Monica's dominance of
women's tennis was Federer-like: she had won seven of the last eight
Grand Slams she played (she had won 8 Grand Slams up to that point:
French Open 1990, 1991, 1992; US Open 1991, 1992; Australian Open
1991, 1992, 1993 (and 1996 after the stabbing)).

There is little doubt that, but for the stabbing, Monica would have
won many more Grand Slam singles-titles, including some Wimbledons.
She might well have overtaken Margaret Court's all-time record of 24.
She would certainly have won more than Graf, who was 4˝ years older
but only 3 Grand Slams ahead of Monica at the time of the stabbing.
Even as it was, Monica retired as the active player with the most (9)
Grand Slam singles-titles, and only as recently as January 2008 was
she overtaken as the active player with the most WTA Tour singles-
titles as Lindsay Davenport won her 54th.

The stabbing left me bitter and twisted for the next five years, as I
struggled to come to terms with the tragic loss of my favourite
player, the insensitive attitude of others to the stabbing and how it
changed the course of tennis-history, all the 'would haves', and the
gross injustice of it all. I finally did begin to come to terms with
it by founding Selesianity.

The Selesian view is that Monica is the greatest tennis-player of all
time /because/ of the stabbing: because of the glorious manner in
which she overcame that vile act of terrorism. In August 1995, she
returned to the WTA Tour and won her first tournament back - the Tier
I at Toronto - for the loss of just 14 games! In her second
tournament back, she came within a bad line-call of winning the first
set against Graf in the US Open final (and almost certainly the
match, since she won the second set 6-0). In her third tournament
back, she won Sydney 1996, and in her fourth tournament back, she won
her ninth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open 1996.

But sadly that was the last Grand Slam she would ever win, as her
remaining years on the Tour were plagued by lengthy injury lay-offs
and watching her father succumb to cancer that - in a cruel twist of
fate - was diagnosed just /days/ after the stabbing. She also had to
contend with a new generation of players who hit the ball just as
hard as she did - and Martina Hingis, who was an even better 'chess'
player.

As well as being a brilliant tennis-player, Monica is also a
wonderful human being. She's always been the person who wants to
please others more than herself - the sort of person who even felt
sorry for her beaten opponents. She always approached tennis with
humble expectations; she was modest in victory and gracious in
defeat. She is generous in her praise of others - and in helping many
of the underprivileged people in this world. She loves working with
children, and I know that's going to be a major priority for her in
her post-tennis life (along with animals, going to college, and
finding a cure for cancer). For what it's worth, I also think she
would make a wonderful mother. Whatever she does with her life in the
future, I wish her every happiness.

Monica will always be the greatest - and my #1 favourite - tennis-
player of all time, and she will always be the true #1 in the hearts
of all Selesians.


=======================================
Andrew's Monica Seles Biography updated
=======================================

I have just updated Monica's biography on my website:
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/biography.html

It is *not* a copy of Monica's standard WTA Tour biography, but my
own detailed appreciation of her game, followed by a review for every
year of her career.

I have edited the introduction (added some things, and sadly
converted it to past tense) and added a review of 2007 (such as it
was).

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/

===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: Third-round result
3. Women's Singles: Fourth-round draw

---------
1. Photos
---------

Hsieh,Su-Wei (improved tennis and improved beauty!):
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/players/1365/photos
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=hsieh
search Getty Images for "hsieh"

Various players including Hsieh,Su-Wei:
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/

Many players:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1

--------------------------------------
2. Women's Singles: Third-round result
--------------------------------------

+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] d. Aravane Rezaď, 6-2 6-7 (3/7) 6-4

Hsieh makes Grand Slam mark for Taiwan (Reuters)
By Simon Cambers (Editing by Ossian Shine)
>>>
Hsieh,Su-wei proudly flew the Taiwanese flag on Friday when she
became the first player from her country to reach the last 16 of a
Grand Slam tournament.

The 22-year-old qualifier edged out France's Aravane Rezaď
6-2 6-7 6-4, and now plays top seed and world number one Justine
Henin of Belgium.

World number 158 Hsieh, who plays double-handed on both sides, has
now won six matches to get to the fourth round, having come through
the qualifying-competition.

While Rezaď tried to out-power Hsieh, the Taiwanese mixed up the
pace, even resorting to moonball tactics in an effort both to upset
the rhythm of the Frenchwoman and to recover from a series of long
rallies.

"She made me run very much and I was tired, so I had to go moonball
to get more seconds to rest," Hsieh told reporters.

Hsieh began the year by representing Taiwan at the Hopman Cup in
Perth, where she claimed a win against world number 38 Gisela Dulko
of Argentina.
<<<

Hsieh Breaks Through
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/3/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1982
>>>
Slotted to meet Henin in the fourth round is qualifier Hsieh,Su-Wei,
the very first woman from Chinese Taipei ever to make a Grand Slam
fourth round. Hsieh had a topsy-turvy 6-2 6-7(3) 6-4 win over Aravane
Rezaď on Friday, squandering a 5-2 second-set lead - with three match-
points at 5-4 - before finally closing it out in the third. The 22-
year-old, who fell in the first round of her five previous Grand Slam
main draws, becomes the first qualifier to make the round of 16 here
since 2004 (when Mara Santangelo did the same).
<<<

HSIEH MAKES HISTORY
By Neil Frankland: AP Sports Writer
>>>
Hsieh,Su-wei become the first Taiwanese player to reach the fourth
round of a Grand Slam.

Hsieh played on public courts, and was kicked off by amateurs when
her allotted time was up. There are no tennis-academies or institutes
in Taiwan.

"You go to one court, and maybe in the afternoon have to go to
another place to get on a court," the 22-year-old Hsieh said after a
6-2 6-7(3) 6-4 win over Aravane Rezaď of France.

Hsieh combined looping "moonballs" with double-handed shots on both
sides to rally past Rezaď.

"She made me run very much and I was tired, so I have to go moonball
to get more seconds to rest," Hsieh said.

One of seven children, Hsieh was coached by her father, Tzu-lung, who
learned of the game after walking by a tennis-court. Younger brother
Cheng-peng will play in the junior Australian Open starting on Sunday.

Hsieh is guaranteed at least $75,140 in prize-money for making the
fourth round. She plans to buy her father a motorcycle.
<<<

-------------------------------------
3. Women's Singles: Fourth-round draw
-------------------------------------

* Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] v JUSTINE HENIN [1]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: Second-round results
3. Women's Singles: Third-round draw
4. Men's Singles: Second-round result

---------
1. Photos
---------

Hsieh,Su-Wei:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=hsieh
search Getty Images for "hsieh"

Various players including Hsieh,Su-Wei:
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/

Fabrice Santoro:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=santoro
search Getty Images for "santoro"

Various players including Fabrice Santoro:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7193180.stm

Many players:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1

----------------------------------------
2. Women's Singles: Second-round results
----------------------------------------

+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] d. SYBILLE BAMMER [19], 6-2 6-0

- Akiko Morigami [S] lt. MARIA KIRILENKO [27,DF], 1-6 1-6

------------------------------------
3. Women's Singles: Third-round draw
------------------------------------

* Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] v Aravane Rezaď

-------------------------------------
4. Men's Singles: Second-round result
-------------------------------------

- Fabrice Santoro [S] lt. ROGER FEDERER [1], 1-6 2-6 0-6

Federer continues title-bid against Santoro (Reuters)
By Simon Cambers (Editing by Ed Osmond)
>>>
Roger Federer continues his bid for a third consecutive Australian
Open title when he takes on wily Frenchman Fabrice Santoro in the
second round on Thursday.

The world number one showed no ill-effects from the bout of food-
poisoning that hampered his preparations when he romped past
Argentine Diego Hartfield in round one.

Santoro, playing in his 62nd Grand Slam event - a record in the
professional era - has beaten Federer twice in their 10 meetings.

But the Swiss, who is just two Grand Slam titles behind Pete
Sampras's record of 14, has won their last six matches: all without
losing a set.

"I've been pretty dominant against him the last few times we played,"
Federer said.

"Of course, he's a tricky player to play against. Everybody knows
that. He's got incredible experience. He's a great tactician. So you
have to be very careful playing against him, but I really think I
know how he plays."
<<<

Federer's wizardry bamboozles court-magician (Reuters)
By Ossian Shine (editing by Ed Osmond)
>>>
Roger Federer's sleight of hand proved too bamboozling for court-
magician Fabrice Santoro as Melbourne Park was treated to a sporting
masterclass on Thursday.

Santoro has long been a wizard of the court. Armed with an arsenal of
unconventional shots, wristy groundstrokes - hit with two hands off
both sides - and a heavy reliance on slice, his game has confounded
the world's best over the years.

But he had no answer to a dominant Federer, whose own heavy spin left
the Frenchman flapping at the air as the balls flew past his
despairing lunges.

Santoro, 35, was playing in a record 62nd Grand Slam singles-
tournament. Rarely could he have lost so comprehensively as in this
6-1 6-2 6-0 thrashing.

"Everything looks easy to him," the Frenchman smiled. "There is no
space to play. There is no space to hit aces because he's returning
everything.

"He has time when he's attacking. He has time when he's on the
defence, too.

SO BEAUTIFUL

"He has always time to play. He's never in a rush or anything. When
he's coming to the net, there is no space to pass him.

"I'd love to play him once again. Because it's so beautiful, what
he's doing."

Federer, bidding for a third successive Australian Open title,
downplayed his dominance.

"I played really in a smart way," the Swiss said. "The scoreline was
very one-sided, so that was good for me anyway."
<<<

Perfect Federer swats aside wily Santoro
By Greg Stutchbury (Reuters)
>>>
Champion Roger Federer effortlessly ended Fabrice Santoro's record-
breaking Australian Open with a crushing 6-1 6-2 6-0 victory in the
second round on Thursday.

The world number one, who also dropped only three games to
Argentina's Diego Hartfield in the first round, was similarly
ruthless against the wily 35-year-old Frenchman.

The Swiss top seed did have moments of concern against the scrambling
Santoro - playing in a record 62nd Grand Slam tournament - but was
usually able to snuff out the danger with consummate ease.

"I just really got off to a good start, and after that, it was tough
for him," Federer told reporters. "I really didn't give him much. I
think I really played him in a very smart way."

While Federer's masterclass was of the highest standard, the match
was punctuated with moments of humour: particularly from Santoro, who
moved several steps inside the baseline to face service on match-
point.

"Things were going really fast, and he just wanted me to slow down,"
a smiling Federer said.

Federer, bidding for his third successive Australian Open title and
fourth overall, plays Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the next round.

Santoro described Federer's performance as "perfect."

"In November I beat [Andy] Roddick. I beat [Novak] Đokovic. I'm able
to play some good tennis against the top guys," said Santoro. "But
today I feel like he's coming from somewhere else.

"I was trying many things. I did quite a lot of topspin forehand a
few times. It didn't help.

"I served quite good. It didn't help.

"And when I hit some unbelievable passing-shots, there was no space.
The only space was out of the court, but I'm not allowed...

"Everything is perfect. Everything."
<<<

Magician fails to confirm final vanishing act (Reuters)
By Greg Stutchbury (Editing by Ed Osmond)
>>>
Evergreen Frenchman Fabrice Santoro broke into a smile when asked
about his retirement-plans on Thursday.

The wily 35-year-old had just been thrashed 6-1 6-2 6-0 by a rampant
Roger Federer in the Australian Open second round, and the crowd
treated the match on Rod Laver Arena as the last time they would see
him play.

They cheered every point he won, applauded his relentless chasing of
the world number one's drives that many would have given up as lost
causes, and laughed when he attempted to bring some levity to his
clinical dismantlement.

"I don't know yet. I can't answer a hundred percent now," the 35-year-
old known as "The Magician" said when asked if 2008 would be his
final year on the ATP Tour.

"It was great," he said of the crowd-reaction. "They're maybe
thinking it was my last match on this court, and this court is very
special for me.

"I played three Grand Slam [doubles] finals on this court.

"I played my only [Grand Slam singles] quarter-final on this court.
I played a Davis Cup final on this court.

"So after 20 years on the Tour, if I take my top 10 matches, there
are at least five or six on this court." Even then, however, he
refused to acknowledge he had said goodbye to Melbourne Park.

"I may be back," he smiled.

Santoro, whose appearance at the tournament broke Andre Agassi's
record of 61 Grand Slam singles events, believes the Swiss can still
get better.

"He's still improving; he was a tremendous player the past four
years, and I think he's a better player today.

"He's a better athlete, too. He's moving unbelievably well.
Everything looks easy to him.

"It's so beautiful, what he's doing. I mean, you can't imagine. I'd
love to play him once again. I'd love to."
<<<

Federer, Đokovic, Venus Williams advance at Aussie Open tennis
by Martin Parry (AFP)
>>>
Roger Federer stepped up his unrelenting charge towards a third
successive Australian Open title with an emphatic win on Thursday.

The Fed Express, chasing a 13th Grand Slam title, undid wily
Frenchman Fabrice Santoro - playing in a record 62nd Major
tournament - 6-1 6-2 6-0 in a good-natured showdown.

It was Federer's 16th consecutive match-win at the Australian Open,
and tees up a crack at Serbian Davis Cup team-member Janko Tipsarevic
in the next round.

"I always enjoy playing a match against Fabrice," said Federer, whose
phenomenal shot-making was at its scintillating best on centre court.

"In the first match I played against him, he totally dismantled me -
he can really show where he could hurt you.

"It was a pleasure to play, more so because of the score, but also
for the way the game and the spirit in which it was played.

"He does a great job in making you doubt at times."

The victory stretched the world number one's record over the 36th-
ranked Santoro to 9:2, with four of his last five wins coming in
Grand Slam tournaments.
<<<

Marcos Baghdatis pulls out 5-set victory over Marat Safin at
Australian Open
By Paul Alexander: Associated Press Writer
>>>
The Federer-Santoro match went by so quickly that Santoro asked him
to wait a moment on match-point, pointing to the scoreboard and
smiling. The Swiss star got a chuckle out of it, too, then got in a
serve-and-volley winner.

"It was a tough match for me," Santoro said. "It was not easy to have
fun, but I tried to have some."

Despite the rout, Santoro was ready to take on Federer again.

"Because it's so beautiful, what he's doing," said the 35-year-old
Frenchman, who had only four unforced errors. "At my age, you can be
able to play your match and appreciate your opponent, too.

"Today, I feel like he's coming from somewhere else. I served quite
good. I was moving well. I was fit physically. I was hitting the ball
well. And I won three games."

Federer won the last 10 games, ended it with a serve-and-volley as
Santoro edged in almost to the service-box. He clambered over the net
to embrace the Frenchman.

Dictating play, Federer ended up with 53 winners and 18 unforced
errors.

"Obviously I always enjoy the match against Fabrice," said Federer,
chasing his third consecutive Australian Open title and his 13th
Major. "First time I played him, he totally dismantled me. Showed I
had a lot of things to work on.

"Today I was in great shape, could play aggressive. We always have
great rallies together, because of his playing style - he does a
great job of making you doubt. It's always a tricky match against
him. But you know it's going to be fun. And this is what it's
supposed to be, this game."
<<<

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The reality was pretty bad for me." [Santoro, on
why he jokingly pointed to the scoreboard at match-point against
Federer]

"I missed four balls - four unforced errors in the match I did. He
did 58 winners in 58 minutes almost. I served quite good. I was
moving well. I was fit physically. I was hitting the ball well. And I
won three games." [Fabrice Santoro on facing Federer]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: First-round results
3. Yan v Williams TV-report
4. Women's Singles: Second-round draw
5. Men's Singles: First-round result
6. Men's Singles: Second-round draw

---------
1. Photos
---------

Marion Bartoli:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli

Yan,Zi:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=yan

Akiko Morigami:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=morigami

Search Getty Images for:
bartoli
yan
morigami
peng
santoro

Many players (including an amazing one of Marion Bartoli at Jan 15,
7:57 am EST):
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1

--------------------------------------
2. Women's Singes: First-round results
--------------------------------------

+ Akiko Morigami [S] d. Michaëlla Krajícek [DF], 6-2 6-2
+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] d. Klára Zakopalová, 2-6 6-4 8-6

Michaëlla Krajícek had a left-wrist injury that meant she couldn't
hit two-handed backhands. I don't think those sunglasses do much for
her looks or her game, either.

- MARION BARTOLI [10,DF,S] lt. Sofia Arvidsson, 7-6 (7/3) 4-6 3-6
- Aiko Nakamura [S] lt. JUSTINE HENIN [1], 2-6 2-6
- Yan,Zi [S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [8], 2-6 5-7
- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. Alisa Kleybanova [Q], 5-7 6-4 7-9

Henin: "It was tough at the beginning because the conditions were
quite difficult. It was a little bit windy, and she [Aiko Nakamura]
had a game that wasn't the easiest for me to start the tournament.
She was hitting the ball pretty flat, and that wasn't easy."


Bartoli suffers shock loss [Teletext 495->497]
>>>
Bartoli upset by Swede [Teletext 497]

Wimbledon-finalist Marion Bartoli became the highest women's seed to
fall in the first round, losing to Sofia Arvidsson in three sets in
Melbourne.

Tenth seed Bartoli has struggled since her breakthrough at SW19, and
crashed out 6-7 6-4 6-3 against the Swede.

Dinara Safina, seeded 16th, was beaten 7-6 4-6 6-2 by world No 194
Sabine Lisicki, while Catalina Castańo saw off 2007 quarter-finalist
Lucie Šafárová.
<<<

---------------------------
3. Yan v Williams TV-report
---------------------------

- Yan,Zi [S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [8], 2-6 5-7

I saw the beginning and the end of the match on BBCi - around a
serious snafu in their Freeview-coverage. Williams was 6-2 5-2* up,
but made some unbelievable errors before finally closing it out, and
credit to Miss Yan for raising her own game in response.

Yan's prematch interview: "Before, I play Centre Court only doubles,
but this time I play singles, so I'm very exciting, and I hope I play
a good match today."


First set
---------
YAN _* *____ 2
WIL * * *@*@ 6

The match started at 19:48 AEST.

Williams serving 0-0: Serve out wide + forehand winner down the line.
15/0. Service-winner. 30/0. A deep crosscourt backhand induced Yan to
spray her two-handed forehand long. 40/0. Ace down the middle.

John Lloyd mentioned the rumours about Monica Seles's comeback this
year, after saying that Williams's game was particularly effective
against Selesians (he didn't use that word) because of their
restricted reach.

Yan serving 0-1: Williams netted a forehand return. 15/0. Williams
forehand wide. 30/0. Yan forehand just long. 30/15. Yan forehand just
wide. 30/30. A deep shot from Yan forced Williams into error. 40/30.
Serve out wide + deep forehand winner just inside the baseline.

Williams serving 1-1: First serve: Yan blasted a crosscourt forehand
return just wide. 15/0. Double fault (second serve just long). 15/15.
And again. 15/30. Yan's length induced Williams to net a backhand.
15/40 (2 BPs). Williams saved the first with an error-forcing
crosscourt backhand. 30/40. Service-winner down the middle. 40/40.
Service-winner out wide. Ad Williams. Yan netted a forehand return.

Wow - almost first blood to Selesia!

BBCi announced a two-hour gap in their Freeview-coverage, so I set my
alarm for 21:55 AEST; when I checked at 20:25 AEST there was nothing
on BBCi, but when I checked again at 20:42 AEST, they were showing
this match again!


Second set
----------
YAN @*_____*@*__ 5
WIL __*@*@*___*@ 7

Yan serving 2-3: 0/40 (3 BPs). Williams had Yan at her mercy, but
netted a high forehand volley. 15/40. Williams forced Yan to block a
defensive forehand lob long.

Williams serving 4-2: Service-winner. 15/0. Williams netted a
backhand. 15/15. And again. 15/30 Yan netted a forehand return.
30/30. Service-winner. 40/30. Serve out wide + high forehand drive-
volley winner crosscourt.

Yan serving 2-5: Yan netted a tame backhand on the third stroke.
0/15. Williams slapped a forehand return into the net. 15/15. Yan
played a mild spreading rally, inducing Williams to spray a forehand
long. 30/15. Williams netted a forehand. 40/15. Williams sprayed a
forehand very long.

John Lloyd gave Williams 6/10 for her form in this match. "Very up
and down with her concentration."

Williams serving 5-3: Quadruple fault! 0/30. Williams overhit a
forehand just long. 0/40 (3 BPs). A big first serve forced a short
return, but Williams hit an unbelievable backhand long to
complete "an absolute shocker of a game" [John Lloyd]. To me, she
looked nervous!

Yan just has to hang in here, and who knows what might happen?

Yan serving 4-5: Yan on the third stroke hit a backhand just long.
0/15. Williams netted a backhand. 15/15. Yan played a nice spreading
rally with a high forehand volley-winner crosscourt. 30/15. Yan
opened up the court with a wonderful short-angled crosscourt forehand
+ crosscourt backhand winner. 40/15. Yan backhand long. 40/30.
Williams forehand long.

Williams serving 5-5: Williams sprayed a backhand wide off a deep
forehand return from Yan - that's what happens when you're nervous:
you don't move your feet. 0/15. Second serve: Yan netted a cheap
forehand return. 15/15. Double fault (second serve just long - Yan
used up a Hawkeye-challenge to show a tiny gap between ball and
line). 30/15. After a long rally, Yan tried a dropshot; Williams
easily ran it down to hit a forehand winner down the line. 40/15.
Serve + forehand winner.

The commentators praised Yan for raising her game in response to
Williams's wobble.

Yan serving 5-6: Yan mishit a forehand long off a deep, low ball from
Williams. 0/15. Williams came to the net; Yan had a chance to hit a
crosscourt backhand pass, but netted it. 0/30. Williams netted a
forehand return. 15/30. Yan netted a backhand after a longish rally.
15/40 (MP #1). Yan netted a backhand on the third stroke. Williams
won 6-2 7-5 at 21:03 (1h15m).


Excerpts from Williams's on-court interview
-------------------------------------------

VENUS WILLIAMS: A lot of fun out here. I love doing what I do. Happy
to be back.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Don't those earrings annoy you?

VENUS WILLIAMS: The only thing that annoys me is when I miss. I'm
victimised by Serena and the rest of my sisters - they take my things.


Excerpts from Williams's press-conference
-----------------------------------------

"She really stayed in there, definitely made me play some balls that
I wasn't expecting to come back. Errors happen - that's tennis."

-------------------------------------
4. Women's Singles: Second-round draw
-------------------------------------

* Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] v SYBILLE BAMMER [19]
* Akiko Morigami [S] v MARIA KIRILENKO [27,DF]

------------------------------------
5. Men's Singles: First-round result
------------------------------------

+ Fabrice Santoro [S] d. John Isner, 6-2 6-2 6-4


Spritely Santoro outlasts them all (Reuters)
By Ossian Shine (editing by Pritha Sarkar)
>>>
He is not the tallest, nor the strongest, but he has lasted the
longest.

Frenchman Fabrice Santoro played in his 62nd Grand Slam singles-
tournament at the Australian Open on Tuesday - a record since tennis
turned professional in 1968.

The 35-year-old eclipsed the achievement of Andre Agassi, who
competed in his 61st Slam at the US Open 2006 before retiring.

"When you look at the history of game and see all these champions,
like [Pete] Sampras, Agassi, before like [Jimmy] Connors, who had
huge and long careers. All these past champions, I'm a little bit in
front of them," Santoro told reporters after reaching the second
round.

"Because I have huge respect for them, this record means a lot to me.
I mean, I can't match them in many things, except this one."

Santoro made his Grand Slam début at the French Open in 1989 - when
Tuesday's victim John Isner was four years old.
<<<

Fabrice Santoro's love of tennis pushes him past Agassi's longevity-
mark
By Neil Frankland: AP Sports Writer
>>>
Fabrice Santoro is rarely mentioned in the same breath with players
such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.

At the Australian Open on Tuesday, the French journeyman surpassed
them all - at least in one statistic.

The 35-year-old Santoro broke Andre Agassi's record for most
appearances at Grand Slam events in the Open era when he beat
American John Isner in straight sets on Court 13 to kick off his 62nd
Major, including 38 in a row.

"The thing is when you look at the history of game and see all these
champions, like Sampras, Agassi, before like Connors, who had a huge
and long career, all these past champion, [this is] the only point
I'm a little bit in front of them," Santoro said.

"Because I have a huge respect for them, this record means a lot to
me. I mean, I can't match against them about many things, except this
one."

Santoro attributes much of his longevity to his love of tennis.

"I love the game more than many players, or more than normally," he
said. "I always try to improve my game, to understand what's going on
on the court, to listen to my body, stay healthy, just try to be the
best every day."

Local hope Lleyton Hewitt, contesting his 11th Australian Open, paid
tribute to Santoro's milestone.

"To be able to go out there and do all the hard work to prepare for
Grand Slams isn't easy," he said. "For him to be able to keep doing
it at that age, and probably more so with him with the game that he's
got, because he's not going to blow guys off the court either."

American James Blake was also impressed.

"That's incredible. I have no idea what I'm at, but I know I'm never
going to be at 62. It's impressive, especially the way he plays."
<<<

-----------------------------------
6. Men's Singles: Second-round draw
-----------------------------------

* Fabrice Santoro [S] v ROGER FEDERER [1]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. UK TV-alert
2. Women's Singles: Qualifying
3. Women's Singles: First-round draw
4. Men's Singles: First-round draw

--------------
1. UK TV-alert
--------------

The evening-sessions of the Australian Open will be televised on BBCi
from 08:25 GMT each day of the tournament (digital viewers press Red
or select the appropriate Freeview-channel - it always tended to be
302 last year, but it could be 301).

My understanding is that this coverage will consist of the women's
match on the evening-session of the Rod Laver Arena (Kanepi v Molik
on Monday), followed by the men's match, followed by recorded
coverage of any Andy Murray match (or perhaps even Jamie Baker) that
will have taken place during the day-session, or the "best" match of
the day on a continuous loop.

But don't set your hopes too high - last year, only 7% of BBCi's
Australian Open coverage was of the women! :mad: There isn't a
women's match on the Rod Laver Arena evening-session every day, and
it's well within the BBC's past behaviour to show recorded Murray
instead of live women.

Other Australian Open coverage on BBC television:
* Sunday 20th January on BBC 2 (12:30 to 14:00 GMT);
* Saturday 26th January: Women's Singles final on BBC 1 (from 02:20
GMT);
* Saturday 26th January: repeat of WS final on BBCi (from 07:00 GMT);
* Saturday 26th January: highlights of WS final on BBC 2 (13:00 to
14:00 GMT);
* Sunday 27th January: Men's Singles final on BBC 2 (from 08:30 GMT);
* Sunday 27th January: repeat of MS final on BBCi (from 10:00 GMT).

------------------------------
2. Women's Singles: Qualifying
------------------------------
2.1 First round (Thursday 10th January)
---------------

+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [S] d. GRETA ARN [7], 1-6 6-2 6-4
+ Ayumi Morita [S] d. Isabella Holland [WC], 6-0 7-6 (7/3)
- Lucie Hradecká [S] lt. TIMEA BACSINSZKY [9], 2-6 1-6


2.2 Second round (Friday 11th January)
----------------

+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [S] d. Barbora Záhlavová Strýcová, 6-0 7-6 (7/3)
+ Ayumi Morita [S] d. YULIANA FEDAK [8], 7-5 6-3


2.3 Third round (Saturday 12th January)
---------------

+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [S] d. Maša Zec Peškiric, 6-4 6-0
- Ayumi Morita [S] lt. Marta Domachowska, 3-6 4-6

------------------------------------
3. Women's Singles: First-round draw
------------------------------------

* Aiko Nakamura [S] v JUSTINE HENIN [1]
* Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] v Klára Koukalová
* Yan,Zi [S] v VENUS WILLIAMS [8]
* MARION BARTOLI [10,DF,S] v Sofia Arvidsson
* Peng,Shuai [S] v Alisa Kleybanova [Q]
* Akiko Morigami [S] v Michaëlla Krajícek [DF]

The only really notable absentee is 1991-1993 and 1996 champion
Monica Seles, who hasn't played on the WTA Tour, or in a Grand Slam,
since the French Open 2003 due to a stress-fracture in her left foot.
Contrary to popular belief, Monica hasn't retired - in fact she's
planning a comeback at Miami in March!

Serena Williams could equal Monica as the only active player to win
nine Grand Slam singes-titles (I sincerely hope she doesn't).
Williams said: "That would be awesome. She was definitely a big
factor. I love her and I think she's a great person. She was my
favourite player."

Already this year, Monica has seen Lindsay Davenport break her record
of 53 WTA Tour + Grand Slam singles-titles - the most by any active
player.

----------------------------------
4. Men's Singles: First-round draw
----------------------------------

* Fabrice Santoro [S] v John Isner

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

Happy Birthday Monica, and what better way to celebrate this year's
Selesmas than to post this excellent article (though not from Marion
Bartoli's perspective, I suppose):

Seles Speaks
By Tennis Week
11/11/2007
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2rbpwk
>>>
She revolutionised women's tennis by playing a bold baseline-game and
producing power and short angles seldom seen in the sport. Monica
Seles possessed perhaps the most lethal return of serve in the
history of women's tennis, and a stirring shriek that accompanied her
stunning shots. In many ways, Seles was ahead of her time, but when
she surveys the tennis-landscape today, Seles said the women's game
needs more rivalry and intensity.

"[Justine] Henin has on average dominated the [WTA] Tour, but if you
look at the championships in Madrid, you see Henin beat [Marion]
Bartoli 6-0 6-0," Seles told Steve Hartman, Mychal Thompson and
Vic "The Brick" Jacobs in a radio interview she conducted on Friday
on "The Loose Cannons Show" on AM 570 KLAC. "Those scores shouldn't
happen in the championships. You want to see the top players play
each other. That's the only way the fans will tune in."

The former World No. 1 conducted the interview to promote her
appearance in the inaugural Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis
Classic, Dec. 8, at The Riviera Tennis Club. Grand Slam champions
Seles, Jennifer Capriati and Luke and Murphy Jensen, actor David
Duchovny and musician Gavin Rossdale are among the tennis and
entertainment stars scheduled to join the host Jensens for the event.
Seles touched on several tennis topics in the interview including:

* On being stabbed at a match on April 30, 1993 in Hamburg, Germany:
"I was only 19 when I got stabbed. It would never have happened in
any other sport. I said to myself, 'Why me,' but I was proud of
myself that I was able to move on and to get back to the sport that I
loved and adore. That to me was the final triumph after a few bad
years."

* On the lack of punishment to her attacker:
"I really felt that I could not justify in my own brain someone stabs
you in front of 7,000 people, admits that he planned it, and never
spends a night in jail. I don't feel safe playing there [in Germany]
again after what happened to me."

* On returning to tennis after her stabbing:
"I was lucky. My mom and dad had really strong personalities and
supported me. At the end of the day, the love I had for the game I
started at 7 years old motivated me to come back. I never imagined I
would make a great living and travel throughout the world. I started
playing tennis because I loved it. I tell kids, 'don't look at the
fame and the money. Play tennis because you love it.' I missed it."

* On not hearing from other players after her stabbing:
"The women's tour is very competitive. There's a lot of money at
stake. It is what it is. It was very unfortunate. It changed my
career and it changed Steffi's [Graf]. That's life. It is a business."

* On playing in the 1998 French Open after her dad, Karolj, died:
"My dad passed away a couple days before the French. I thought, 'What
would my dad want me to do?' He battled cancer. I thought, 'follow
your heart,' and my heart told me to go out and play for my dad. He
was a cartoonist. He always saw the lighter side of everything. Part
of me said stay home, but I knew that was not what my dad would have
wanted."

* On her dad's coaching philosophy:
"He saw the bigger picture of sports, instead of just win or lose. He
was human. Sports is a business and cutthroat, and people will do
anything to win, but I was lucky I had my dad as my coach and he
never put pressure on me. Win or lose, the love he gave me was the
same. Sadly I see too many cases are the other way now."

* On the state of women's tennis: "[Justine] Henin has on average
dominated the [WTA] Tour, but if you look at the championships in
Madrid, you see Henin beat [Marion] Bartoli 6-0 6-0. Those scores
shouldn't happen in the championships. You want to see the top
players play each other. That's the only way the fans will tune in."

* On tennis-players having shorter careers due to other distractions:
"It's harder now. You have to be a multi-media athlete. You have to
look good, speak well and do all the off the court stuff. In the old
days, we did much less. Tennis is a brutal sport. We play 10 and a
half months a year. It's hard to stay injury-free. A lot of the top
players struggle with that. Roger [Federer] has a different game. It
doesn't take as much out of him as Serena [Williams]. Roger has
played every Grand Slam since 1999. That statistic alone is amazing."

* On becoming a US citizen in 1994:
"It was the happiest day of my life. Playing in the Olympics in
Atlanta in 1996 and representing our country was the biggest honour
I've ever had. It surpasses all the tournaments I played in."

Expected to join Seles, Capriati, Duchovny, Rossdale and the Jensens
are former UCLA star Justin Gimelstob, former WTA Tour player Carling
Bassett-Seguso and Robert Seguso, actors Scott Foley, Donna Mills and
Eric Braeden, as well as other stars from sports, television, music
and film. The fun-filled day of tennis and an "Evening with the
Stars" gala will raise money for a number of Jensen designated youth-
oriented charities, including Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down
Syndrome, the National Down Syndrome Society and The Riviera
Foundation.

The Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic gets underway with
a tennis pro-am from 9 to 11:30 am on 8th December, followed by a
kids' clinic from noon to 1:30 pm. A pro-celebrity tennis-exhibition
will be played from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. The activities climax with
the "Evening with the Stars" gala from 7 to 11 pm at The Riviera
Country Club. The gala will feature top entertainment and a live
auction.

"I'm honoured to be asked to co-host the Bank of the West Pro-
Celebrity Tennis Classic," said Luke Jensen. "It's going to be a
special day and night that will benefit three great causes, and we
are especially excited to have Monica join us for the event."

The Jensen-Brothers-designated youth organisations, including the
Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down Syndrome, will help meet the
sport specific needs of children and young adults with Down Syndrome
and other special needs. In addition to meeting sport specific needs,
the other designated organisations will use multiple avenues in
assisting special needs and disadvantaged children.
<<<

Serra Zanetti Retires
By Tennis Week <http://preview.tinyurl.com/2uhlrt>
09/20/2007
>>>
Unable to fully overcome the foot-injury she suffered in 2005,
Adriana Serra Zanetti has called it quits, concluding a career that
saw the Italian reach a career-high rank of No. 38 a month after she
advanced to the 2002 Australian Open quarter-finals.

"I give up professional tennis due to a foot-injury I had in October
2005 that never healed," Serra Zanetti said in a statement posted on
the Italian Federation website and published by AGI/ITALPress.

"Tennis has given me the possibility to keep improving myself as an
athlete and as a human being. It has been a continuous challenge with
victories and defeats, glory and pain, but fortunately little regret
since I have reached important goals. I thank all those who have
supported me in these years."

The 31-year-old Serra Zanetti, who hits with two hands off both
sides, had not played a main-draw WTA Tour match since suffering a
straight-sets loss to Canada's Maureen Drake in the opening round of
the Tier IV Rabat tournament in May of 2005. She spent 2006 playing
at the Challenger level, and did not play this season as her ranking
dropped to No. 803.

The elder of the two Serra Zanetti sisters from Modena, Italy,
Adriana's younger sister, Antonella, is currently ranked No. 342. The
two sisters faced off in the opening round of the 2003 Indian Wells,
with Antonella Serra Zanetti spoiling older sister Adriana Serra
Zanetti's 27th birthday with a 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3 win.

The Serra Zanettis come from a close-knit family — Antonella cites
her banker father Alessandro and art-history teacher mother Arianna
as her role-models for instilling good values in their children — so
that match concluded with tears rather than celebration.

"It's very hard," Adriana said. "We were both very nervous before the
match. After the match, we were both crying."

Adriana, who compiled a 9:7 Fed Cup record for Italy, plans to remain
in tennis as a coach in her native Modena.
<<<

=============
ROLAND GARROS (Paris, France; red clay; Grand Slam)
============= http://www.rolandgarros.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos & videos
2. Fourth-round TV-report: Bartoli v Jankovic

---------
1. Photos
---------

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/ (3r, Week 1)
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli
Search Getty Images for "bartoli"

Various players:
http://www.tennis.info/Paris7.html (Third round - day 1)
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1

---------------------------------------------
2. Fourth-round TV-report: Bartoli v Jankovic (Sunday 3rd June)
---------------------------------------------

- MARION BARTOLI [18,S] lt. JELENA JANKOVIC [4], 1-6 1-6

I saw the whole match on BBCi.

Pre-match interviews:
>>>
Marion: "J'espčre un bon match." ("I hope for a good match.")

Jankovic: "I'm really excited for this match today. I just hope I'll
play a good game."
<<<

The match started at 15:31 CEST (possibly a little earlier, as I
actually watched it with a time-lag, as I was dubbing it from DVD-RAM
to video-cassette, which is the only medium that I trust to be
reliable for long-term archiving).


First set
---------
BARTOLI __*____ 1
JANKOVI @* *@*@ 6

Marion serving 0-0: Jankovic backhand just long. 0/15. Jankovic
crosscourt forehand winner. 0/30. Jankovic off-backhand winner. 0/40.
Marion saved the first with a pinpoint crosscourt backhand winner
into the corner. 15/40. Jankovic hit a short-angled, very acute
crosscourt forehand, forcing Marion to hit a forehand wide.

Jankovic is hitting the ball much harder than she did against Venus
Williams, or than /I've/ ever seen her hit! The commentators are
talking about it like she always hits that hard, so perhaps she does
these days and the Williams-match was an exception because Williams
goes for broke and doesn't give you much rhthm.

Jankovic serving 1-0: Jankovic netted a forehand. 0/15. Marion
forehand just wide. 15/15. Jankovic hit a pinpoint backhand winner
down the line. 30/15. Ace out wide. 40/15. Marion hit a nice backhand
winner down the line. 40/30. Jankovic netted a forehand. 40/40.
Marion netted a backhand. Ad Jankovic. Marion hit a defensive
forehand lob wide.

A very fast start for Jankovic - so little time between points! She's
forcing Marion to hit a lot of one-handed forehands.

Marion serving 0-2: Jankovic forehand winner down the line. 0/15.
Marion's forehand smash forced Jankovic to balloon a forehand very
long. 15/15. Jankovic forehand pass-winner off a weak volley from
Marion. 15/30. Jankovic forehand down the line + forehand smash-
winner. 15/40 (2 BPs). Jankovic dominated the rally but netted an
easy backhand. 30/40. Jankovic off-forehand would-be return-winner
just wide. 40/40. From way behind the baseline, pushed back on her
heels, Marion hit an amazingly precise crosscourt backhand into the
corner, forcing Jankovic into error. Ad Marion. Jankovic opened up
the court with an amazing angle to set up an easy crosscourt forehand
winner. Deuce #2. Marion nailed a forehand winner down the line off a
mishit lob from Jankovic. John Lloyd: "What a winner from that
position!" Ad Marion. Jankovic forehand would-be winner down the line
called wide - very late, by the umpire.

Well played Marion - she answered Jankovic's brilliance with some of
her own. According to Sam Smith, Richard Williams said that Venus
was /intimidated/ by Jankovic in the previous round!

Jankovic serving 1-2: Marion forehand return just long. 15/0. Double
fault (Marion standing in, second serve just long - very flat like
Maria Sharapova). 15/15. Jankovic netted a forehand after a long
rally with good resistance from Marion. 15/30. Marion backhand long.
30/30. Jankovic caught Marion napping with a crosscourt backhand
winner. 40/30. I must have missed a point in that game, but I don't
know where.

Sam Smith: "Jankovic so intense - becoming a great match-player."

Marion serving 1-3: Marion netted a backhand. 0/15. Service-winner.
15/15. Marion netted a forehand. 15/30. Jankovic rocketed a backhand
winner down the line. 15/40 (2 BPs). Jankovic backhand wide. 30/40.
Jankovic netted a forehand after a long rally with a lot of balls
down the middle from Marion. 40/40. Jankovic forehand pass-winner off
an inadequate approach from Marion. Ad Jankovic (BP #3). Jankovic hit
a dropshot, ran down a dropshot, and hit a crosscourt forehand pass-
winner to get the double break. She's doing much better than Marion
in rallies with 4+ strokes.

Jankovic serving 1-4: Jankovic opened up the court and hit a forehand
drop-volley winner down the line. 15/0. Marion backhand return just
long. 30/0. Marion backhand long. 40/0. Jankovic sprayed a forehand
wide. 40/15. Marion came in but netted a backhand volley off an
awkward low ball at her feet.

Sam Smith said Jankovic understands which way to move when she's at
the net, Marion doesn't.

John Lloyd: "She's desperate to do well in front of her home-crowd.
She's rattled."

Marion serving 1-5: Double fault (second serves into the net). 0/15.
Jankovic return-winner. 0/30. Another ill-advised approach to the net
by Marion was met with a forehand pass-winner down the line from
Jankovic. 0/40. Jankovic hit a slick, almost cheeky forehand dropshot-
winner to win the first set 6-1 at 16:01.

Marion is taking an injury time-out - the commentators think it's a
hip- or groin-injury. There's a distressed look on her face. After a
lengthy evaluation-period, the trainer took Marion off the court.

Sam Smith: "She's not a product of the French system. She and her
father have done it their own way."

Ten minutes after the end of the first set, Marion came back onto
court limping.


Second set
----------
BARTOLI _____*_ 1
JANKOVI *@*@* * 6

Jankovic serving 0-0: Marion netted a forehand. 15/0. Jankovic
exploited Marion's loss of mobility with a "cruel but smart"
dropshot. 30/0. Marion forehand return long. 40/0. Jankovic mishit a
backhand wide. 40/15. Marion forehand wide.

Marion serving 0-1: Marion backhand long. 0/15. Marion backhand just
long, but so badly hit. 0/30. Double fault (second serve long).
0/40 (3 BPs). Marion netted a forehand off a deep ball from Jankovic.

The commentators expect Marion to retire at the end of every game.

Jankovic serving 2-0: Marion strolled into the net and Jankovic
picked off a crosscourt forehand pass-winner. 15/0. Marion's forehand
clipped the netcord and fell back on her own side. 30/0. Marion
forehand wide. 40/0. Marion forehand just long.

Marion sat at the changeover with her head in a towel.

Marion serving 0-3: Marion forehand very long. 0/15. Jankovic
backhand winner down the line, just inside the baseline. 0/30.
Jankovic backhand dropshot-winner. 0/40 (3 BPs). Jankovic picked off
a crosscourt backhand winner after mildly opening up the court.

Jankovic serving 4-0: A big forehand return from Marion forced
Jankovic to earth a forehand. 0/15. Jankovic off-backhand drive-
volley winner. 15/15. Serve out wide + forehand winner down the line.
30/15. A good return from Marion induced Jankovic to earth a backhand
return. 30/30. Marion netted a backhand. 40/30. Jankovic forehand
down the line would-be winner just wide. 40/40. Jankovic forehand
wide. Ad Marion (BP). Marion backhand just long. Deuce #2. Marion
netted a backhand. Ad Jankovic. Marion backhand return long.

I think Jankovic lost her focus a bit in that game - she's been
ruthless in all previous games.

Marion serving 0-5: Jankovic forehand winner down the line off a hard
backhand from Marion - an obvious example of her loss of mobility.
0/15. Marion sprayed a forehand very long. 0/30. Marion backhand
dropshot-winner. 15/30. Marion hit a "ferocious", error-forcing
forehand. 30/30. Marion hit a searing crosscourt backhand winner.
40/30. Jankovic forehand winner. 40/40. Marion netted a forehand.
Ad Jankovic (MP #1). Marion saved it with ferocious hitting, nailing
a crosscourt backhand winner into the corner. Deuce #2. Marion
crosscourt backhand winner. Sam Smith: "Such a shame she couldn't
play like this in the whole match." Ad Marion. Service-winner.

Jankovic serving 5-1: Jankovic netted a forehand. 0/15. Marion netted
a backhand return. 15/15. Marion went for a big crosscourt backhand
winner onto the sideline, but it was just wide. 15/30. Serve out wide
+ backhand winner down the line. 40/15 (MP #2). Jankovic forehand
winner down the line. Jankovic won 6-1 6-1 at 16:35.


Articles
--------

Howard Fendrich, AP Tennis Writer
June 3, 2007
>>>
STOP THE MUSIC: When her French Open opponent took an injury timeout
on Sunday, Jankovic did what plenty of 22-year-olds would if they
wanted to kill some time: She pulled an MP3 player out of her bag.

The chair umpire made the No. 4-seeded Serb put it away before she
got a chance to listen to any music.

"I didn't know that I'm not allowed to do that," Jankovic said after
finishing off her 6-1 6-1 victory over No. 18 Marion Bartoli, the
last French singles player in the tournament. "But we're not allowed
to have electronics while we are playing."

Bored while Bartoli was off court being treated for a leg-problem,
Jankovic got out of her changeover-chair and hit some practice-serves.

"I wanted to play with the ball-boy," she said. [Iva Majoli did just
that at the French Open 1995!]

Bartoli thought she'd get a lot of help from the home-crowd, but
instead found herself overwhelmed by the circumstances.

"I felt the pressure when I walked on the court," she said. "Because
when you walk on centre-court and have people applauding you, and you
have French flags, and you have people that say, 'You're the last
French player, fight it. It's the match of your life. What are you
doing? You're not playing well.' I mean, that was a bit difficult for
me to listen to."
<<<

Old articles
------------

{First round - Tuesday 29th May}
Petrova Ousted in Opener; Vaidišová, Bartoli Advance
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1389
>>>
Bartoli had the unfortunate draw of last week's Istanbul breakout-
star Aravane Rezaď for her opener, but continued to show much-
improved clay-court form with an impressive 6-2 6-4 victory over her
young countrywoman.

"In the second set it was a little bit closer, but I'm quite happy I
ended the match in two sets," said Bartoli, who has had good results
on clay in the last few weeks, including reaching the Estoril final
and the Strasbourg semi-finals. "In the past I'd rest a lot during
this part of the season, but this year I've practised a lot on clay,
and I'm very satisfied with my clay-season so far."
<<<

{Third-round preview - Thursday 31st May}
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1399
>>>
(13) Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. (18) Marion Bartoli (FRA) -
Dementieva leads, 2-0

World No.21 Bartoli will be making her first appearance in the third
round at Roland Garros on Friday, and she will hope she can mark the
occasion with her first-ever victory over No.14 Dementieva. Although
the 22-year-old Frenchwoman has not defeated her Russian opponent,
their last meeting was almost two years ago, and Bartoli has made
significant strides since her straight-sets defeat to Dementieva in
Los Angeles. The hard hitting No.18 seed broke into the Top 20 for
the first time last year, and has carried this form through to the
2007 European clay-court season, reaching a final, semi-final and
quarter-final, in Prague, Strasbourg and Estoril respectively. 2004
Roland Garros runner-up, Dementieva has demonstrated some good form
of her own in the build-up to the tournament, taking home her seventh
career-title in Istanbul just last week, and the 25-year-old will
enter the contest as slight favourite.
<<<

{Third round - Friday 1st June}
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1402
>>>
Next up for Jankovic will be No.18 seed Marion Bartoli, who downed
No.13-seeded Elena Dementieva, 6-2 6-4; next up for Vaidišová is
No.19 seed Tathiana Garbin, who downed wild card Stéphanie Cohen-
Aloro, 6-3 6-0. Both Bartoli and Garbin have moved into a Grand Slam
second week for the first time in their career.

"It's wonderful; it's a beautiful present for my mother because it's
Mother's Day on Sunday," said a jubilant Bartoli, who was forced to
regroup after allowing her Russian opponent to catch up from 4-2 to
4-all in that second set. "I know she is very competitive. She would
never surrender. So I had to fight on each ball."
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selesians/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeldani/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sharapova_vaidisova_hantuchova/

=============
ROLAND GARROS (Paris, France; red clay; Grand Slam)
============= http://www.rolandgarros.com/
----------------------------
Women's Singles: Third round
----------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. ELENA DEMENTIEVA [13], 6-2 6-4

Bartoli inspired by Sampras to beat Dementieva
By Pritha Sarkar
>>>
PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - Marion Bartoli took a leaf out of Pete
Sampras's book to record her best showing at a Grand Slam tournament
on Friday.

Local hope Bartoli reached the fourth round of the French Open for
the first time after upstaging former finalist Elena Dementieva
6-2 6-4.

"At the beginning of this year, my level was not what I expected it
to be. So I followed Pete Sampras's example because he was never one
of the favourites on clay," said the 22-year-old, who counts hard
courts as her favourite surface.

"But one year, he managed to win against guys like [Sergi] Bruguera
and get into the semi-final. So I thought, if he could do it, and if
he could defeat traditional claycourters, why not me? I should
similarly try and prepare for clay and see what the results are.

"So I practised a lot on clay. I practised sliding, dropshots, I ran
for two hours in the morning, and I played up to four to five hours
per day on clay-courts to improve my performance. And today, it paid
off. Today I think it wasn't bad. Not bad at all."

Sampras captured a record 14 Grand Slam titles during his
distinguished career, but never conquered his claycourt-demons during
13 visits to Roland Garros.

His run to the semi-finals in 1996 proved to be his best effort in
Paris, and his failure in France prevented him from completing his
collection of major crowns.

Bartoli's decision to follow the American's lead gave her the
confidence to pick apart Dementieva's fragile serve.

The 13th seed, runner-up to fellow Russian Anastasia Myskina in 2004,
never looked comfortable during the 68-minute contest, and slid out
after scooping a forehand into the net.

Bartoli will next face fourth seed Jelena Jankovic for a place in the
quarter-finals.
<<<

----------------------------------
Women's Singles: Fourth-round draw
----------------------------------

* MARION BARTOLI [18,S] v JELENA JANKOVIC [4]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

=============
ROLAND GARROS (Paris, France; red clay; Grand Slam)
============= http://www.rolandgarros.com/
----------------------------
Women's Singles: First round (Wednesday 30th May)
----------------------------

Nice winner, nice loser:
+ GISELA DULKO [29,DF] d. Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S], 6-4 6-3

-----------------------------
Women's Singles: Second round (Wednesday 30th May)
-----------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [18,S] d. Andrea Petkovic [Q], 0-6 6-2 6-3

---------------------------------
Women's Singles: Third-round draw
---------------------------------

* MARION BARTOLI [18,S] v ELENA DEMENTIEVA [13]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html